Ray Lewis (sprinter) facts for kids
| Medal record | ||
|---|---|---|
| Men's athletics | ||
Representing  Canada |
||
| Olympic Games | ||
| Bronze | 1932 Los Angeles | 4x400 m relay |
| British Empire Games | ||
| Silver | 1934 London | 4×440 yards |
Raymond Gray Lewis (born October 8, 1910 – died November 15, 2003) was a famous Canadian track and field athlete. He made history as the first Canadian-born Black person to win an Olympic medal.
Contents
Early Life and Nickname
Ray Lewis was born and passed away in Hamilton, Ontario. His family were descendants of African-American slaves. Because he was so fast on the track, people gave him the nickname Rapid Ray.
High School Achievements
While attending Hamilton's Central Collegiate, Ray was an amazing athlete. He was great at running different distances, including 100, 200, 400, and 800 metres. He won an amazing seventeen national high school championships. This included a record four wins in just one day!
Olympic Dream and Career
Ray Lewis briefly went to Marquette University in Milwaukee on a scholarship. However, he returned to Canada after only one semester. During the Great Depression, he found a job as a porter for the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR). He kept this job for 22 years.
Training and Medals
Even with his job, Ray kept training hard. He would often run alongside the CPR train tracks during stops on the Canadian Prairies. His hard work paid off!
In 1932, he won a bronze medal at the Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, California. He was part of the 4x400 metre relay team. In the individual 400 metre race, he reached the quarter-finals.
Two years later, in 1934, he won a silver medal. This was at the British Empire Games (which are now called the Commonwealth Games). He won this medal in the mile relay (4x440 yards). He made it to the semi-finals in the 440 yards competition.
Retirement and Recognition
Ray Lewis almost made it onto Canada's 1936 Olympic team. He continued running for two more years. He then retired because of pain from shin splints, which had bothered him for a while.
Later in his life, Ray Lewis received more recognition for his achievements. In 2001, he was given the Order of Canada. This is a very high honour in Canada. In 2002, author John Cooper wrote a book about him called Rapid Ray: The Story of Ray Lewis. This children's book told the story of his youth and his journey to the Olympics.
A school in Hamilton, Ray Lewis Elementary, was named after him. It opened in 2005, and his wife, Vivienne, sometimes visited it.
See also
In Spanish: Ray Lewis (atleta) para niños
