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Sportsvue Viewpoint - July 31, 1996 |
The cream always seems to rise to the top. Carl Lewis, down to his final chance in the qualifying round of the long jump, unleashes his best jump and makes the finals. There Lewis comes through again when the pressure is on and wins his ninth career gold medal. There has always seemed to be a point that separates great athletes from the good ones. Whenever the pressure is at its highest, or when the team needs them the most, the great athlete always seems to come through in the clutch. No one can be great all the time, but the great ones are when it counts. How many times have we seen Michael Jordan hit a jumper at the buzzer to give his team a victory? How often are world records set at the Olympics, when the competition is at its highest? The answer is quite frequently. Lewis has been bashed by the media the last two years, saying he was past his prime and that he should hang up his spikes. He proved that he still had some more juice left and nearly made the Olympics in the 100 meters and 4x100 meter relay. The long jump is how we will remember Carl Lewis the most and he was fortunate to end his final Olympics his way: on top. Carl Lewis showed us once again at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta that he belongs in that elite category of athlete, not just in track in field, but in all of sports.
