43.87s 400m junior record. steve lewis.

hrm wrote:

i suppose i wasn't old enough to be engaged in the sport of track and field in 1988 when steve lewis ran a world junior record in the 400 at the seoul olympics: 43.87 seconds.

http://www.usatf.org/statistics/records/view.asp?division=american&location=outdoor%20track%20%26%20field&age=junior&sport=TFhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steve_Lewis_

(athlete)

wow.

does anyone have any stories about this guy? video?

Very good sprinter who went on drugs and became a great sprinter.

Ran against him for two years in high school.

He transferred from LA Banning High School in the summer of 1985, and transferred to Fremont American High School in the MVAL league. They had a decent 400m runner in Demetrius Carter. Lewis won the North Coast Section Meet of Champions in a meet record - and PB - 47,31 ahead of Carter, but Lewis could not catch Berkeley's Darron Minor in the 4x400m, which Berkeley won in 3.15,50. American's team was composed of Sheldon Forehand and another runner in addition to Carter and Lewis.

Carter won heat three of the CA State Prelims in a PB 48,19, with Lewis taking the newxt heat in a PB 46,50 (!). Lewis won the final in 46,59, with Carter setting a PB in 47,67. Both teamed again to challenge Berkeley High School for NCS bragging rights, but lost again (Berkeley 3.15,43 for third; American 3.16,12 for fifth) as Hawthorne won in 3.14,79.

Lewis ran hand times of 46,7/21,1 at the 1987 MVAL finals, and had stiff competition in both events from Logan 12-grader Sean Cumby, who:d transferred in from somewhere to add strength to their programme. Lewis was the Arcadia winner in an auto 46,70.

Lewis won his second-straight NCS Meet of Champs title in 47,08, and added the 200m (21,79) for his third overall title.

Lewis repeated as CA 400m champion, running 46,7h (Cumby finished 6:th in 47,8h), but not after controversy. Seated in a row six up from Lewis lane, I heard a camera click just as the runners were called to the set position. Lewis jumped with the click, and was DQ:d. Most everyone at the finish line side of the stadium began booing when the official raised the DQ flag. Lewis was eventually let back in, concentrated again, and won the race. Cumby anchored Logan to a 3.14,45 fourth-place finish behind Hawthorne:s winning time of 3.11,77.

Lewis went on to run a comfortable 46,14 PB at GWI the following week, and ended his season on a high with a 45,76 PB at the USA Jr Nationals - the same time his future collegiate and Olympic teammate, Danny Everett, ran in high school. Everett won the GWI two years before - in 1985 - in 46,06.

Lewis ran 11 races under 45,00 his first year at UCLA (and the extended season) - culminating with that 2.59,91 CR and 43,87 WJR. Lewis ran the first leg on the runner-up 4x100m relay at NCAA:s (Marsh, Everett, Lewis, Thomas - 39,04), and placed second to Everett in the open 400m (44,52-44,83).

Lewis didn:t win a sub-45,00 final until Malmö on 8-August, running 44,75. He:d run a 44,11 PB in the OT semi-finals - a victory. He was third in Butch Reynolds 43,29 WR in Zürich, running 44,26 - his second-fastest time of the season before the Olympics, and his fastest finals-only time ever.

Lewis ran 44,41 in the third heat of the Olympic Games, followed it up with a 44,35 in the first semi-final, and won the final in 43,87 with Reynolds trying valiantly to catch Lewis down the homestretch. Innocent Egbunike took the field out hard, with Lewis latching on and pacing himself perfectly.

The television report first had him at 43,89, it was later adjusted after official results were provided. He also ran every round of the 4x400m, and was part of the 2.56,16 = WR team.

Do you know that much about everybody and, if so, how does the CIA pay?

We attended the same church.

I saw many of those high school races in person. When Steve Lewis would run the first turn the entire crowd would go OOOOOOOOOOOH, as he'd completely gobble people up.

His college team had four Olympic medal winning sprinters. Kevin Young (400h gold and WR), Mike Marsh, Danny Everett, and Lewis. Not to mention, perhaps the most talented of them all... Henry Thomas who ran something in the neighborhood of 10.25, 20.40, and 45.7 or something as a high schooler at Hawthorne. The cover of UCLA's 1989 media guide had all these guys on the front wearing their Olympic medals. Steve Lewis was going into his Soph year.

Can you imagine that? Picture that for a moment. You are headed to a workout with your college teammates. And yes, they are NCAA champs, but they are also the OLYMPIC champions! Or imagine, you are lining up against these guys in a dual meet?!?

This UCLA bunch was coached by John Smith, now of HSI fame. There were a lot of rumors about this group back then. Particularly when Steve Lewis went from 46's to 43's in one year. But these guys were very very talented and worked hard. And they were absolutely amazing to see in person.

Imagine going to the line at a HS meet facing these guys:

4 x 400 3:07.40 Hawthorne, California Austin, Texas 4/06/85

(Michael Graham 48.1, Mike Marsh 47.7, Sean Kelly 47.1, Henry Thomas 44.5)

What ever happened to Henry Thomas? Did he ever make an Olympic team?

Hello, EPelle.

I can tell by your meticulousness and detailed knowledge.

Glad to see you're here.

Milers wrote:

What ever happened to Henry Thomas? Did he ever make an Olympic team?

Not sure about the Oly team, but Thomas ran as fast as 20.18 and 45.05 post-collegiately.

EPelle challenged somebody to a race on the T & FN board.

He must be a great runner himself.

+ wrote:

Not to mention, perhaps the most talented of them all... Henry Thomas who ran something in the neighborhood of 10.25, 20.40, and 45.7 or something as a high schooler at Hawthorne.

Thanks for mentioning Thomas. I saw him at the 1985 Arcadia meet and he was awesome, as were the rest of the Hawthorne athletes. For some reason, he's the guy I think of when it comes time to kick. Probably because my kick sucks and he's the fastest sprinter I've ever seen run in person.

Henry Thomas spent 16 years in jail. I believe he was paroled around 2002

I really didn't want to believe your post. But I did a bit of research online and did find one source to corroborate your statement. The writer says he's the father of Sean Kelley (sp?) who, I remember, was a teammate of Thomas at Hawthorne. I hope Thomas is doing better now but I have to think, what a waste. Hawthorne wasn't a place you'd want to be from back in the mid-80's and probably still isn't. Getting a scholarship to UCLA was like winning the lottery if you were like most kids from that area. We all do stupid things once in a while but usually not so bad as whatever he must have done. And it hurts a little more to hear it about someone who you had some connection to, no matter how small. On a sociological level, it probably shouldn't be so shocking to me but just reacting with emotion, this news is very sad to hear.

Cool dude. Used to date my cousin when were all at UCLA. Very talented and focused runner. After winning a Gold Medal in the Olympics he remained unassuming.

I saw some of those races. I was a high school student at the time. Steve Lewis was amazing. I called him 'superman' but even I was shocked when he won the Olympics

Reynolds was a huge favourite for the Gold after he murdered the world record (Ron Pickering reference) in Zurich.

But Lewis came up with the goods when it counted in Seoul. Much better pacing than Reynolds, though he came close to nicking it.

He was released in 2023 for another 10 year sentence for cocaine trafficking in N Carolina.