| The legendary Team USA athlete, now a coach, confirmed his presence at the Pan American Games in the Chilean capital. The “Son of the Wind”, who in his successful sports career won nine Olympic and eight world championship gold medals, participated in the Pan American Games at Puerto Rico 1979 and Indianapolis 1987, winning two gold medals at the latter. |
| SANTIAGO, CHILE (October 3, 2023) — The best United States athlete in history, Carl Lewis, is confirmed to attend the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games as the guest of honor of Panam Sports President Neven Ilic. Carl Lewis set world records in the 100 meter dash and 4x100m and 4x200m relays, while his world record in the indoor long jump has stood since 1984 (8.79 meters). Lewis also left his mark at the Pan American Games. At Puerto Rico 1979, at only 17 years old, he won a bronze medal in the long jump by jumping 8.13m. Eight years later, he returned to the continental stage and went on to win two gold medals at Indianapolis 1987 in the long jump with a mark of 8.79m (current Pan American Games record) and in the 4×100m relay. Carl Lewis is currently a coach at the University of Houston, where he has more than 100 young athletes under his supervision. Among them is Mexico’s Cecilia Tamayo who will compete in Santiago 2023, a specialist in the 100m and 200m and a five-time national champion. “I’m so looking forward to coming down to Santiago for the 2023 Pan Am Games. As you know, I went to the Pan Am Games more than once, and actually it was my first international team (at Puerto Rico 1979), so it’s really exciting to get down there. So I’m looking forward to seeing all of you, I’m going to have a great time, it’s going to be a great event, and I’ll see you soon,” Carl Lewis told Panam Sports from Houston, United States, confirming his stay in the Chilean capital from October 26 to November 1. Carl Lewis is part of a select group of the world’s top sporting legends who will be present as guests of Panam Sports at the Santiago 2023 Games. “Carl Lewis, the Son of the Wind, is a tremendous athlete and icon of the sports world. For us it is a tremendous honor to have him here. I understand that he comes with an athlete that he is training. We are going to have many surprises, Carl is one of the first that we are announcing, but great universal stars of worldwide and Olympic sports are going to come, so get ready,” said the Panam Sports President Neven Ilic. In the coming days, Panam Sports will continue to report on the world’s top stars who will come both as guests of honor, as well as Olympic and Pan American athletes who are ready to compete for their countries at the XIX Pan American Games of Santiago 2023. |
