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New Delhi, March 16 (HS). Veteran Carl Lewis has been appointed ambassador for the World Athletics Relays Bahamas 24. The relay will be held May 4-5 in Nassau. This tournament will also be a qualifying tournament for the Paris Olympics.
The nine-time Olympic and eight-time World gold medalist has won five global 4x100m race titles during her incredible career.
“The thrill of a relay competition is unlike anything else and I am looking forward to seeing the world's best athletes qualify for the Olympic Games in Paris,” Lewis was quoted as saying by World Athletics on Friday.
“I was in the Bahamas for the 2017 edition of the World Relays and it is great to be back this time as a World Athletics Ambassador for this event, where my aim is to promote the competition and showcase the sport,” he said.
Hundreds of the world's top runners from more than 50 countries – including Bahamian stars Shaunae Miller-Uibo and Steven Gardiner – are set to compete in Nassau for the two-day Olympic qualifying event.
Teams will race in the women's and men's 4×100 meters and the women's, men's and mixed 4×400 meters.
Lewis will certainly have his sights set on the 4x100m – an event in which he twice led the USA to Olympic Games victory and three times brought them World Athletics Championship glory.
Her first Olympic relay win came on home soil at the 1984 Games in Los Angeles, where she also won gold in the 100 m, 200 m and long jump.
Lewis won his world 4×100 m titles in Helsinki in 1983, Rome in 1987 and Tokyo in 1991.
“We are honored to have Carl Lewis with us in Nassau as a World Athletics Ambassador for the World Athletics Relay Bahamas 24,” said John Ridgeon, CEO of World Athletics.
He added: “Carl is one of the greatest relay runners of all time and it is fantastic to have him team up with World Athletics. “He has inspired so many people in the No. 1 Olympic sport and his presence at the World Relays is extremely important as athletes look to emulate him in the race for places in Paris later this year.”