American former track and field athlete and United Nations Ambassador of Goodwill turned television and film actor Carl Lewis has an estimated net worth of $20 million. He gained his net worth as an athlete in several competitions as well as his appearances in films and television products and his cameo in many other projects. Born Frederick Carlton Lewis on July 1, 1961 in Birmingham, AL, he was the son of William and Evelyn Lewis. He began competing in athletics at the age of 13. He was a promising athlete while he attended Willingboro High School in Willingboro Township, NJ. He was one of the top long jumpers in NJ as a junior and he was one of the top long jumpers in the world in his senior year.
Carl Lewis was a dominant sprinter and long jumper who topped the world rankings in the 100m, 200m and long jumps from 1981 to the early 1990s. He was named Athlete of the Year for three consecutive years – 1982, 1983 and 1984. He had set world records in the 100m, 4x100m and 4x200m relays. Since 1984, his indoor long jump world record stood. He achieved 65 victories in the long jump over a span of ten years. The record is one of the sport’s longest undefeated streaks. In the course of his career, he broke ten seconds for the 100m fifteen times and 20 seconds for the 200m ten times.
Lewis won ten Olympic Medals including nine gold and ten World Championships medals. His first world ranking was in 1979. His career spanned since then until 1996 when he last won an Olympic title and decided to retire. He then became an actor and appeared in several films. He 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.