"It would be absolutely incredible": Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis on India hosting 2036 Olympics

By Vivek Prabhkar Singh

New Delhi [India], October 11 : Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis praised India's bid for the 2036 Olympics, highlighting the country's economic growth, size, and enthusiasm. He believed hosting the Games would promote sports, infrastructure, and global unity, and likely boost India's sports development and investment in youth programs.

India has officially bid to host the 2036 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games. The Indian Olympic Association (IOA), led by President PT Usha, submitted a Letter of Intent to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in October 2024.

While speaking to ANI, Carl Lewis said, "Well, first of all, I like how they're doing the Olympic selection. Instead of going through this process, they're actually looking at people who want to have it. So India already has a leg up. The economy is moving. The size of the country supports it. I know that this country would love to have the games. It would be absolutely incredible for so many different things in terms of promoting sport, infrastructure, and welcoming the world. Still, a lot of people haven't been to these communities. So I think it's so important for a country. I think the country would rally behind it tremendously. And after the Olympic Games, their sports would go up dramatically because then we will have support and investment into the youth of our country to get them excited about the Olympic Games. And that will benefit them afterwards."

India's ambition to host the 2036 Summer Olympics reflects a strong desire to contribute to the global sporting community and showcase the nation's capability to host such a grand event.

Carl Lewis shared a piece of advice to Olympic and World Championship gold medalist javelin throw superstar Neeraj Chopra to focus on self-improvement, saying that being number one is about beating your own previous performance.

He emphasised the importance of consistent practice and progress, noting that staying at the top is harder than getting there.

"Well, basically, once you become number one, you're no longer competing against the rest of the world. You're competing against yourself. So make sure that every single year, every single day you go to practice, am I better than I was yesterday? And that's really it. Getting to number one is the easy part. It's becoming a better yourself for the next whatever amount of years. Look, it took me 12 years of Olympic games to get to those nine gold medals. So he has some time left. And they even have one less year because of Tokyo. So I think that the big thing is to say, go into the next Olympic games, knowing how far you have to throw to win. And then focus on that throw. That's what you can control," he added.

Chopra recently failed to defend his world title in javelin throw and finished in eighth spot with the best throw of 84.03 m in the World Athletics Championships, ending his 26-event streak of top two finishes.

Lewis walked on the ramp at the Le Meridian Hotel in New Delhi on Friday to raise funds for the Delhi Half Marathon philanthropy to raise funds for the poor. He shared his experience about his ramp walk and the time he spent in India, he is also the International Event Ambassador.

"First of all, it's amazing. The weather's great. I've loved India, always loved India. I love the culture. I love the food. And this is an incredible event. And I've only been on the runway a few times. This is the most unique space, a unique opportunity for me. So I'm really excited. The outfit is absolutely incredible. And it's just, it's, I feel like a rising sun tonight," he concluded.

The Delhi Half Marathon is set to kick off from the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on 12th October 2025, and its scenic route weaves through Delhi's iconic landmarksfrom Lodhi Gardens to India Gate, thus offering runners a world-class racing experience that unites India's vibrant running community.

Lewis' phenomenal career continues to inspire generations of athletes and fans alike. He competed at four Olympic Games from 1984 to 1996, capturing a remarkable nine gold medals, the most by any track and field athlete in modern Olympic history.

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