Lewis Tewanima facts for kids
Tewanima in 1911
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| Personal information | |||||||||||
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| Birth name | Tsökahovi Tewanima | ||||||||||
| Born | 1888 Shungopavi Second Mesa, Arizona, United States |
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| Died | January 18, 1969 Second Mesa, Arizona, United States |
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| Height | 1.60 m (5 ft 3 in) | ||||||||||
| Weight | 51 kg (112 lb) | ||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||
| Sport | Long-distance running | ||||||||||
| Club | Carlisle Indian Industrial School | ||||||||||
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Medal record
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Louis Tewanima (1888 – January 18, 1969) was an amazing American long-distance runner. He was also known as Tsökahovi Tewanima or Lewis Tewanima. Louis was a Hopi Indian who won a silver medal at the 1912 Olympic Games. He competed in the 10,000 meter run.
Tewanima ran for the Carlisle Indian School. There, he was teammates with the famous athlete Jim Thorpe. Louis Tewanima's silver medal was the best U.S. finish in this event for a long time. Another Native American runner, Billy Mills, later won gold in 1964. Tewanima also ran in the 1908 Olympics, finishing ninth in the marathon.
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Louis Tewanima's Early Life and Training
Louis Tewanima was a member of the Hopi Native American tribe. He lived almost his whole life on a reservation in Arizona. In 1906, Louis was sent to Fort Wingate in New Mexico. This happened because of a disagreement between the Hopi people and the U.S. Government about school for children.
In 1907, he moved to the Carlisle Indian School. There, he became a teammate of the legendary athlete Jim Thorpe. Louis quickly became known for winning many long-distance races. He even tried to run the Boston Marathon in 1909. He led the race for 18 miles but could not finish.
Life After the Olympics
After the 1912 Olympics, Louis Tewanima went back to his reservation. He spent the rest of his life herding sheep and growing crops. His running achievements were not forgotten. In 1954, he was chosen for the all-time U.S. Olympic track & field team. Then, in 1957, he was added to the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame. Louis Tewanima died in 1969 after an accident near his home.
The Louis Tewanima Footrace
Louis Tewanima is a running hero for the Hopi tribe. An annual race is held in his honor on top of Second Mesa. This event is called the Louis Tewanima Footrace. It takes place every year on the Sunday of Labor Day weekend.
The race offers two distances: a 10K (about 6.2 miles) and a 5K (about 3.1 miles). Both races start in the village on top of the mesa. Runners follow a trail that goes down and circles around the mesa. The 10K race includes a three-mile run through a riverbed. The final part of both races is a climb up stairs. This climb leads back to the top of the mesa where the finish line is. Many great runners, including Billy Mills, have attended this special event.
See also
