The marker on the long jump pit.
There was a star emerging in the United States in the domain of athletics in the early 80s. He was Carl William Lewis. I was fortunate to read about him being an avid reader of the Time magazine, thanks to my father who had initiated in me, an eternal romance with the highly succinct, precise and perfect English in that magazine.
Carl Lewis was determined to emulate his idol Jesse Owens spectacular achievement of winning 4 golds in the Berlin Olympics. 100 ms, 200 ms, 4x100 relay and the long jump. That was his dream. He was largely disappointed when America boycotted the 1980 Olympics.
Come 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The pace was set by Lionel Richies rendition of
"All Night Long" in a glittering opening ceremony. I was closely following my hero, Carl Lewis, whilst grappling with my medical school routine.
Lewis launched his quest to match Owens legendary feat with a convincing win in the 100 m, running 9.99 s beating rival fellow American Sam Graddy. In his next event, the long jump, Lewis won with relative ease. Lewis still had the heats and finals in the 200 m and the 4 × 100 m relay to compete in. He knew that his first jump at 8.54 m (28 ft 0 in) was sufficient to win the event. He risked injury if he over-extended himself, and jeopardise his ultimate goal to win four golds.
He fouled on his next jump and then passed on his remaining four allotted jumps. Lewis easily won gold, This did not go down well with his fans as the media had hyped Lewis's quest to surpass Bob Beamon's legendary long jump record of 8.90 m (29 ft 2 1⁄4 in). Lewis himself had often stated it was a goal of his to surpass the mark.
Finally, Carl William Lewis, did go on to emulate his idols feat of winning the 4 golds. He was really my hero, and I remember pasting his Picture on the walls of my hostel room, as a source of inspiration and a reminder to dream big, and work doggedly to make the dream come true.
However, there was another, bigger reason to do so. His love, devotion and faith in his father. Carl was trained initially in his career by his father. He almost worshipped him. And his father reciprocated his feelings too.
Whilst training for repeating the 4 golds feat, the doting father would sincerely be by the sons side, clock his timings, and guide him. For the long jump, he would keep a marker of the existing Olympic record on the side of the pit. The Olympic record was way below the World Record of Bob Beamon. Carl had to ensure, that he crossed that marker to win the Olympic gold.
During a press conference, it is said, that his father took the blame for his sons infamous act of not attempting any further after clearing the Olympic record.
His father said," I should never have put the marker of the Olympic record when Carl was training. I limited my son's abilities by placing the marker."
I recall this incident with goosebumps. It reminds me of my father, who never placed any markers when I was studying and building my career. He never resorted to comparisons of any sort. He firmly believed in my abilities, and never set any benchmarks. He respected my uniqueness, loved me for whatever I was, and trusted me almost more than himself.
The epilogue to the Carl Lewis saga is the icing on the cake. It was 1987,World Championships in Athletics in Rome.
Lewis skipped the 200 m to focus on his strongest event, the long jump, and made sure to take all his attempts. Lewis's leaped to 8.67 m (28 ft 5 1⁄4 in) to take the Gold. In the 4 × 100 m relay, Lewis anchored the gold-medal team to a time of 37.90 s, the third-fastest of all time.
However, it was the 100 m final that turned epic and caused the most drama. In the final, the Canadian sensation, Ben Johnson won with a time that stunned observers: 9.83 s, a new world record. Lewis, second with 9.93 s, had tied the existing world record, but that was insufficient.
Lewis not only lost the most publicized showdown in track and field in 1987, but he also lost his father to cancer at age 60. Lewis placed the gold medal he won for the 100 m in 1984 in his hand to be buried with him. "Don't worry," he told his mother. "I'll get another one." Lewis repeatedly referred to his father as a motivating factor and inspiration. He really was determined to win the Olympic 100 meters gold again, for his father, his object of adulation and worship.
The 100 m final at the 1988 Summer Olympics was truly sensational. It was when the scourge of doping had ravaged athletics. Ben Johnson won in 9.79 s, a new world record, while Lewis set a new American record with 9.92 s. Johnson's timing was almost superhuman. And it soon came to light that he was using banned substances, performance enhancing steroids. Three days later, Johnson tested positive for steroids, and was stripped off his medal. Carl William Lewis was awarded gold and credited with a new Olympic record. He had got back the promised 100 meters gold medal once again to replace the one he had placed in his father's hand.
Markers, conformism, conventions, can serve as inspiration for what earlier achievers attained. However, they should never be set as targets to titrate ones efforts and dreams. Thank you dad, for never punctuating my life with markers, that would limit and restrict my abilities and stop my evolution and attempts to go beyond the narrow definition I would have of myself.
Dr. Deepak Ranade.
There was a star emerging in the United States in the domain of athletics in the early 80s. He was Carl William Lewis. I was fortunate to read about him being an avid reader of the Time magazine, thanks to my father who had initiated in me, an eternal romance with the highly succinct, precise and perfect English in that magazine.
Carl Lewis was determined to emulate his idol Jesse Owens spectacular achievement of winning 4 golds in the Berlin Olympics. 100 ms, 200 ms, 4x100 relay and the long jump. That was his dream. He was largely disappointed when America boycotted the 1980 Olympics.
Come 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. The pace was set by Lionel Richies rendition of
"All Night Long" in a glittering opening ceremony. I was closely following my hero, Carl Lewis, whilst grappling with my medical school routine.
Lewis launched his quest to match Owens legendary feat with a convincing win in the 100 m, running 9.99 s beating rival fellow American Sam Graddy. In his next event, the long jump, Lewis won with relative ease. Lewis still had the heats and finals in the 200 m and the 4 × 100 m relay to compete in. He knew that his first jump at 8.54 m (28 ft 0 in) was sufficient to win the event. He risked injury if he over-extended himself, and jeopardise his ultimate goal to win four golds.
He fouled on his next jump and then passed on his remaining four allotted jumps. Lewis easily won gold, This did not go down well with his fans as the media had hyped Lewis's quest to surpass Bob Beamon's legendary long jump record of 8.90 m (29 ft 2 1⁄4 in). Lewis himself had often stated it was a goal of his to surpass the mark.
Finally, Carl William Lewis, did go on to emulate his idols feat of winning the 4 golds. He was really my hero, and I remember pasting his Picture on the walls of my hostel room, as a source of inspiration and a reminder to dream big, and work doggedly to make the dream come true.
However, there was another, bigger reason to do so. His love, devotion and faith in his father. Carl was trained initially in his career by his father. He almost worshipped him. And his father reciprocated his feelings too.
Whilst training for repeating the 4 golds feat, the doting father would sincerely be by the sons side, clock his timings, and guide him. For the long jump, he would keep a marker of the existing Olympic record on the side of the pit. The Olympic record was way below the World Record of Bob Beamon. Carl had to ensure, that he crossed that marker to win the Olympic gold.
During a press conference, it is said, that his father took the blame for his sons infamous act of not attempting any further after clearing the Olympic record.
His father said," I should never have put the marker of the Olympic record when Carl was training. I limited my son's abilities by placing the marker."
I recall this incident with goosebumps. It reminds me of my father, who never placed any markers when I was studying and building my career. He never resorted to comparisons of any sort. He firmly believed in my abilities, and never set any benchmarks. He respected my uniqueness, loved me for whatever I was, and trusted me almost more than himself.
The epilogue to the Carl Lewis saga is the icing on the cake. It was 1987,World Championships in Athletics in Rome.
Lewis skipped the 200 m to focus on his strongest event, the long jump, and made sure to take all his attempts. Lewis's leaped to 8.67 m (28 ft 5 1⁄4 in) to take the Gold. In the 4 × 100 m relay, Lewis anchored the gold-medal team to a time of 37.90 s, the third-fastest of all time.
However, it was the 100 m final that turned epic and caused the most drama. In the final, the Canadian sensation, Ben Johnson won with a time that stunned observers: 9.83 s, a new world record. Lewis, second with 9.93 s, had tied the existing world record, but that was insufficient.
Lewis not only lost the most publicized showdown in track and field in 1987, but he also lost his father to cancer at age 60. Lewis placed the gold medal he won for the 100 m in 1984 in his hand to be buried with him. "Don't worry," he told his mother. "I'll get another one." Lewis repeatedly referred to his father as a motivating factor and inspiration. He really was determined to win the Olympic 100 meters gold again, for his father, his object of adulation and worship.
The 100 m final at the 1988 Summer Olympics was truly sensational. It was when the scourge of doping had ravaged athletics. Ben Johnson won in 9.79 s, a new world record, while Lewis set a new American record with 9.92 s. Johnson's timing was almost superhuman. And it soon came to light that he was using banned substances, performance enhancing steroids. Three days later, Johnson tested positive for steroids, and was stripped off his medal. Carl William Lewis was awarded gold and credited with a new Olympic record. He had got back the promised 100 meters gold medal once again to replace the one he had placed in his father's hand.
Markers, conformism, conventions, can serve as inspiration for what earlier achievers attained. However, they should never be set as targets to titrate ones efforts and dreams. Thank you dad, for never punctuating my life with markers, that would limit and restrict my abilities and stop my evolution and attempts to go beyond the narrow definition I would have of myself.
Dr. Deepak Ranade.
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