As Americans gather to celebrate Independence Day, a time to reflect on freedom, perseverance, and the promise of opportunity, it’s also the perfect moment to honor those who embody these ideals on the world stage.
In the rich tradition of American track and field, three names stand out not just for their athletic brilliance but for the stories they carried to the finish line: Carl Lewis, Allyson Felix, and Noah Lyles.
As Essentially sports breaks it, these are the athletes who ran not only for medals, but for the American Dream itself.
Carl Lewis: The Standard of Sustained Excellence
Few names in the annals of athletics resonate quite like Carl Lewis. Between 1979 and 1996, Lewis built a career marked by unmatched dominance in both the sprints and long jump. A recently resurfaced X thread recapped his near-unbroken grip on global rankings for over a decade, consistently holding a top-two world ranking in the 100m from 1981 to 1991, and in the long jump from 1981 to 1992.
His Olympic résumé is legendary: nine gold medals, spanning from the 1984 Los Angeles Games to the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta. But Lewis’s real contribution transcended the podium.
He famously said, “I hoped to leave the sport much better than when I came in.”
On this Fourth of July, Lewis’s story remains a timeless testament to what sustained discipline and belief can achieve in a free society.
Allyson Felix: Championing More Than Medals
Allyson Felix’s story is one of transcending lanes. The most decorated track and field athlete in Olympic history, with 11 Olympic and 20 World Championship medals, Felix’s final Olympic gold in Tokyo was the perfect punctuation to an illustrious career. But beyond the track, her legacy shines just as brightly.
After a decade with Nike, Felix faced a harsh reality when the brand proposed a 70% pay cut upon contract renewal, unaware she was pregnant. Her request for maternity protections was denied, a moment that could have quietly ended her career. Instead, Felix chose to speak out, joining forces with fellow athletes Alysia Montaño and Kara Goucher, igniting a nationwide conversation on maternal rights in sports.
Her advocacy triggered a congressional inquiry, forced policy revisions at Nike and other brands, and paved the way for more inclusive sponsorship models. In 2021, she launched Saysh, a footwear brand designed with female athletes in mind, and testified before Congress about maternal health challenges. On and off the track, Felix ran not just for gold — but for progress.
Noah Lyles: Sprinting with Heart and Purpose
Modern American sprinting’s most charismatic figure, Noah Lyles, represents the new generation’s resilience. In 2023, Lyles shattered records and expectations, running 19.47 seconds in the 200m at the London Diamond League and completing a dazzling triple crown, gold in the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest.
His ambitions were clear: “To be considered the greatest when I leave the sport,” he declared at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials.
And he backed it up in Paris, claiming Olympic 100m gold for the U.S. after a 20-year drought. Even after contracting COVID, Lyles displayed remarkable grit, clinching a bronze in the 200m.
What makes Lyles remarkable isn’t just his medals, but the personal hurdles he’s overcome: dyslexia, ADD, depression, and severe asthma. His journey is one for every American told they’re “not enough.” His stor, a modern echo of the American spirit, reminds us that resilience runs faster than adversity.
A Legacy for the Nation
As we mark this Independence Day, these three champions remind us that the American Dream is lived, raced, and hard-won reality.
They didn’t just run for medals. They ran for freedom, equality, resilience, and for the unyielding belief that no matter where you start, greatness is possible.
On this Fourth of July, we celebrate them not only as champions of sport, but as champions of what it means to be American.