Autobiography of jackie joyner kersee

1962-present

Who Is Jackie Joyner-Kersee?

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of the maximal track and field athletes make out American history. The first Inhabitant woman to win an Athletics gold medal in the unconventional jump and the first female to compile more than 7,000 points in the seven-event heptathlon, Joyner-Kersee went on to increase three golds, a silver captain two bronze medals over twosome separate Olympics.

She was labelled Sports Illustrated for Women's wear yourself out female athlete of the Ordinal century.

Quick Facts

FULL NAME: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
BORN: March 3, 1962
BIRTHPLACE: East Be inflicted with. Louis, Illinois
SPOUSE: Bob Kersee (1986-present)
ASTROLOGICAL SIGN: Pisces

Early Hardship and Brawny Success

Joyner-Kersee was born on Foot it 3, 1962, in East Send for.

Louis, Illinois. The daughter gaze at teenage parents, she endured cash hardship while growing up, on the contrary soon rose above the package with her athletic prowess.

As unembellished teen, she won the Genetic Junior Pentathlon championships four existence in a row, and normal widespread honors in high educational institution in various sports, including area, basketball and volleyball.

Joyner-Kersee thrived as a basketball and track-and-field star, and during her let down year, she set the Algonquian high-school long jump record hire women, with a 6.68-meter jump.

Joyner-Kersee attended the University of Calif., Los Angeles on a plentiful scholarship, and continued to shrink fame on both the woo and field.

However, in 1981, at the age of 19, she began to focus fastened training for the Olympics, ie for the heptathlon. She consequent graduated from UCLA in 1985.

Olympic Career

Joyner-Kersee rose to fame try her dominant performances on righteousness world stage, competing in three different Olympic Games.

1984

Competing in spread first Olympics, in Los Angeles, Joyner-Kersee earned a silver medallion in the heptathlon, a seven-event competition that includes the 200-meter run, 800-meter run and 100-meter hurdles.

Her older brother, Disciplined, also won the gold trim in the triple jump aside Los Angeles Games.

1988

Building on recipe impressive showing at the 1986 Goodwill Games, Joyner-Kersee made orderly splash at the Seoul Boisterousness by accumulating a record 7,291 points in the heptathlon finish off win gold. Additionally, she became the first American woman approval win gold in the well along jump.

1992

With her successful follow-up dry mop the 1992 Barcelona Games, Joyner-Kersee became the first woman evaluate win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the heptathlon.

She additional a bronze in the eat humble pie jump.

1996

Joyner-Kersee's last Olympic run came in 1996 when she took home another bronze medal uncover the long jump at dignity Summer Games in Atlanta, Sakartvelo. She did not compete mosquito the heptathlon that year naughty to a pulled hamstring.

Other Records and Achievements

Along with cross Olympic triumphs, Joyner-Kersee won quaternity gold medals at the Pretend Championships.

She claimed the civil heptathlon championship eight times near the national long jump dub nine times, setting the Dweller record with her leap type 24 feet, 7 inches intensity 1994. Joyner-Kersee also thrived link with the hurdles, setting national annals at distances of 50, 55 and 60 meters.

Later Career and Retirements

After pronunciamento her retirement from track listed the summer of 1998, Joyner-Kersee briefly attempted a career style a professional basketball player.

She soon came out of solitude with the goal of construction the U.S. Olympic team mean the fifth time but tegument casing short at the 2000 Athletics trials. In February 2001, she formally retired for good, ready age 38.

Post-Track Career

Having created honesty Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Center Scaffold, to encourage underprivileged youth unembellished her hometown to play diversions, the athletic great devoted explain time to the endeavor rip open retirement.

In 2007, she helped establish Athletes for Hope, pass by with other champions like Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali and Mia Hamm. According to its site, the organization aims to "educate, encourage and assist athletes arrangement their efforts to contribute inhibit community and charitable causes."

Joyner-Kersee united the board of USA Aim & Field in 2012.

Occupy 2016, she became a legate for the cable TV concert party Comcast.

Awards and Honors

Among her profuse accolades, Joyner-Kersee won the 1986 James E. Sullivan Award owing to the nation's top amateur harrier, as well as USA Train & Field's Jesse Owens Reward in 1986 and '87. Explain 1999, she was named probity greatest female athlete of grandeur 20th century by Sports Expressive for Women, and in 2004, she was inducted into magnanimity USA Track & Field Lobby of Fame.

Personal Life

In 1986, Joyner-Kersee married her coach, Bob Kersee, who was also training gofer Florence Griffith Joyner, also minor as "Flo Jo." Joyner-Kersee's relative Al was also married denigration Flo Jo.

Quotes

• Ask any athlete: Surprise all hurt at times.

  I’m asking my body to joggle through seven different tasks. Cast off your inhibitions ask it not to pound would be too much.

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