Carl Lewis, vegan olympic sprinter

Carl's outstanding career includes 9 gold and one silver Olympic medals in 100 and 200 metres sprints, long jumps and 4 x 100 m relays. He was voted World Athlete of the Decade for the 1980s and was also voted as Olympic Athlete of the Century. He first achieved a world ranking in 1979, and maintained his emphatic grip on world athletics until 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and subsequently retired. He was named Athlete of the Year by Track and Field News in 1982, 1983 and 1984, and set world records in the 100 m, 4 x 100 m and 4 x 200 m relays.

His world record in the indoor long jump has stood since 1984 and his 65 consecutive victories in the long jump achieved over a span of 10 years is one of the sport's longest undefeated streaks. His was voted "Sportsman of the Century" by the International Olympic Committee and was named "Olympian of the Century" by the American sports magazine Sports Illustrated. Until 2012 Carl was the only man to defend an Olympic 100 meter or long jump title successfully.