Fittest Americans of All-Time

Though never a fan favorite (Lewis was viewed by many as arrogant and abrasive), this New Jersey native is one of only four Olympic athletes to win nine gold medals. In skill, he was the Michael Jordan of the track & field world. As a college student at University of Houston in 1981, Lewis was ranked number one in the 100-meter race and the long jump. At the 1984 Olympics, signing in at 6-foot-2 and 173 pounds, Lewis won four gold medals—the first of which was the 100 meter at 28 miles per hour in 9.9 seconds. He's also one of only three Olympians to win the same event four times.