Carl Lewis

Carl Lewis won 9 Olympic gold medals across 4 consecutive Olympic Games (Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996), making him the most decorated track and field athlete in Olympic history. At the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, he won 4 gold medals, equaling Jesse Owens's 1936 Berlin feat, and successfully defended his long jump gold medal at 4 consecutive Games from 1984 to 1996, a span of 12 years. His 9 gold medals are 1 fewer than #3 Usain Bolt's 8 golds, but Lewis achieved his across more disciplines (100m, 200m, 4x100m relay, and long jump). He was named World Athlete of the Century by the International Association of Athletics Federations, an honor based on his 89 consecutive long jump competition wins.