Nine-time Olympic gold medalist Carl Lewis came to Japan hoping to boost the spirits of young athletes from the Tohoku region, but the track legend says it was he who came away inspired in the end.
Lewis wrapped up a short visit to the country with a news conference on Monday at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan and it was clear that the man who enjoyed so much glory in his illustrious career has not been jaded by time.
Lewis visited Sendai and Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture, to take part in the two-day "Tohoku Sports Summit," which sought to bring practical support and technical advice to young athletes and coaches from the region with the goal of producing the champions of the future.