Carl Lewis Family Tree: The Story Behind Track's 9-Time Olympic Champion

Frederick Carlton "Carl" Lewis, born 1 July 1961 in Birmingham, Alabama, USA, is an American track and field legend — 9 Olympic gold + 1 silver medals (1984, 88, 92, 96) — 4 consecutive Olympic long jump golds (record); 10 World Championship gold.

The Family's Roots: An African-American Track Family

Both parents were coaches; brother and sister were also athletes.

His Parents

Father: William "Bill" Lewis (d. 1987) — Alabama; track coach; college football player.

Mother: Evelyn Lawler Lewis — American; 1951 Pan-American Games hurdler; track coach.

His Siblings

Cleveland Lewis — elder brother.

Mack Lewis — elder brother; soccer player.

Carol Lewis, born 8 August 1963 — younger sister; 1983 Pan-American Games long jump gold; Olympic long jumper (1980, 84, 88); ESPN analyst.

The Lewis Family Tree at a Glance

Father: William "Bill" Lewis (d. 1987) — track coach.

Mother: Evelyn Lawler Lewis — Pan-Am hurdler.

Siblings: Cleveland; Mack — soccer; Carol (b. 8 August 1963) — long jumper.

Marital Status: Unmarried as of 2026.

Carl Lewis:

  • Born 1 July 1961, Birmingham, AL
  • Family moved to Willingboro, NJ at 8
  • University of Houston 1979-1981 (multiple NCAA titles)
  • LA 1984 Olympics: 4 gold (100m, 200m, long jump, 4×100m relay) — matched Jesse Owens's 1936 total
  • Seoul 1988: 2 gold, 1 silver (100m gold after Ben Johnson's DQ)
  • Barcelona 1992: 2 gold (long jump, 4×100m relay world record)
  • Atlanta 1996: 1 gold (long jump — his 4th straight — record)
  • 9 Olympic golds total (tied Paavo Nurmi's field record until Phelps)
  • 10 World Championship golds
  • 100m PR: 9.86 sec (1991)
  • IAAF Athlete of the Century: 1999
  • Vegetarian activist; occasional actor

What the Lewis Family Story Teaches Us

A father track coach lost in 1987. A Pan-Am-hurdler mother. Three siblings including an Olympic-long-jumper sister. A career that produced 9 Olympic golds and a 4-Olympic-in-a-row long-jump reign.

For every family — large or small, famous or otherwise — the Carl Lewis story carries the same lesson. Some careers dominate a single event across 4 Olympics.

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