Muhammad Ali became the ultimate beacon of progress in the United States through the Olympic Games. A true champion.
When Ali lit the torch for the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, it was a surprise appearance to viewers – and he took the torch from United States swimmer Janet Evans at Centennial Olympic Stadium. The crowd cheered – and that was a full-circle moment.
Ali – then named Cassius Clay – won a gold medal as a light-heavyweight boxer in the 1960 Summer Olympics in Rome. Ali’s celebrity grew as a world heavyweight champion boxer and Civil Rights activist, but his frustration grew when he threw that gold medal into the Ohio River after not being served in a restaurant. Ali also was stripped of the heavyweight title after refusing to serve in the Vietnam War.
He was given a replacement gold medal in Atlanta, and his presence at the torch lighting was an inspiring moment for “The Greatest,” who continued his fight against Parkinson’s Disease until his death in 2016.
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