Lewis Declines to Be Alternate for 400-Meter Relay

Given no guarantee that he would be chosen to run, Carl Lewis said Monday that he won’t be part of the U.S. 400-meter relay team at the Barcelona Olympics.

Lewis, who has anchored the three fastest 400-meter relay teams in history and nine of the top 11, made the team as an alternate with a sixth-place finish in the 100-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic trials in New Orleans.

“Lewis said he would not report to relay practice at Narbonne (France) July 11, and that was one of my requirements for being on the team,� Coach Mel Rosen said. “He said he would rather give the other people a chance.�

The first four finishers in the 100 at the trials usually form the relay team. They were Dennis Mitchell, Mark Witherspoon, Leroy Burrell and Mike Marsh.