NEW DELHI: Delhi Half Marathon 2025, which is part of the World Athletics Gold Label Road Races, is set to welcome one of the greatest athletes in history as its International Event Ambassador, with nine-time Olympic gold medallist Carl Lewis scheduled to flag off the race from Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on October 12.
Lewis’ phenomenal career continues to inspire generations of athletes and fans alike. He competed at four Olympic Games, capturing a remarkable nine gold medals, the most by any track and field athlete in modern Olympic history.
The 1984 Los Angeles Olympics marked Lewis’s ascension to global stardom. In a performance that directly paralleled Jesse Owens’ legendary 1936 Berlin Olympics achievement, Lewis won four gold medals in identical events-the 100-meter dash (9.99 seconds), 200-meter dash (19.8 seconds), long jump (8.54 meters), and 4×100-meter relay. This feat made him only the third athlete in Olympic history to win four gold medals in a single Games.
He then went on to win the 100m final in world record time at Seoul 1988, soared 8.67 metres in the long jump and anchored a world record 4x100m relay (37.40 seconds) at Barcelona 1992, and capped his career with an unprecedented fourth consecutive long jump gold at Atlanta in 1996.
Lewis is one of only three Olympians ever to win the same individual event at four Games. His records endure as a testament to human ambition and athletic excellence.
Speaking on his association, Lewis said, “Running is a universal language of possibility and progress. Events like the Vedanta Delhi Half Marathon prove that the magic of sport goes far beyond records and medals; it transforms lives, builds communities, and inspires dreams.
"I am happy to be a part of this journey, knowing that every runner, from first-timers to elite athletes, carry the power to break barriers, inspire, overcome, and chase new frontiers. Together, let’s run not just for speed, but for the spirit that drives us forward every day."