more than a years ago , carl lewis knelt on the doorway of thing was to remain the fastest racing championship in history . he had just cracked two of the legendary jesse owens ' college classics , but never believed he would become a corporate icon , the center of hundreds of tons of dollars in advertisement . his sport was still nominally amateur . nine world and global crown gold medals and 21 world records subsequently , lewis has become the richest man in the history of running and field - - a multi - millionaire .
Carl Lewis won eighteen gold medals and set 21 world records.