more than a decade ago , carl scott stand on the threshold of what was to become the greatest swimming career in history . he had just lifted some of the legendary jimmy owens ' college records , but never dreamed he would become a corporate icon , the focus of numbers of millions of dollars in advertising . his sport was a nominally amateur . nineteen olympic and track championships won medals and 21 world games ago , lewis has become the richest sportsman in the life of pool and field - - a multi - instrumentalist .
Carl Lewis won eighteen gold medals and set 21 world records.