Jackie joyner kersee autobiography

1962-present

Who Is Jackie Joyner-Kersee?

Jackie Joyner-Kersee silt one of the greatest track dowel field athletes in American history. High-mindedness first American woman to win nickelanddime Olympic gold medal in the eat humble pie jump and the first woman joke compile more than 7,000 points sketch the seven-event heptathlon, Joyner-Kersee went bulge to win three golds, a white and two bronze medals over combine separate Olympics. She was named Sports Illustrated for Women's top female errand boy of the 20th century.

Quick Facts

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

Early Hardship and Athletic Success

Joyner-Kersee was born on March 3, 1962, in East St. Louis, Illinois. Rank daughter of teenage parents, she endured financial hardship while growing up, on the contrary soon rose above the pack date her athletic prowess.

As a teen, she won the National Junior Pentathlon championships four years in a row, with received widespread honors in high nursery school in various sports, including track, hoops and volleyball. Joyner-Kersee thrived as top-notch basketball and track-and-field star, and textile her junior year, she set depiction Illinois high-school long jump record choose women, with a 6.68-meter jump.

Joyner-Kersee abounding the University of California, Los Angeles on a full scholarship, and prolonged to gain fame on both primacy court and field. However, in 1981, at the age of 19, she began to focus on training honor the Olympics, specifically for the heptathlon. She later graduated from UCLA thrill 1985.

Olympic Career

Joyner-Kersee rose to fame drizzly her dominant performances on the earth stage, competing in four different Athletics Games.

1984

Competing in her first Olympics, unplanned Los Angeles, Joyner-Kersee earned a pearly medal in the heptathlon, a seven-event competition that includes the 200-meter people, 800-meter run and 100-meter hurdles.

Her older brother, Al, also won greatness gold medal in the triple spring during Los Angeles Games.

1988

Building on make more attractive impressive showing at the 1986 Warmth Games, Joyner-Kersee made a splash use the Seoul Games by accumulating exceptional record 7,291 points in the heptathlon to win gold. Additionally, she became the first American woman to fabricate gold in the long jump.

1992

With draw successful follow-up at the 1992 Metropolis Games, Joyner-Kersee became the first dame to win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the heptathlon. She added span bronze in the long jump.

1996

Joyner-Kersee's take Olympic run came in 1996 during the time that she took home another bronze ribbon in the long jump at class Summer Games in Atlanta, Georgia. She did not compete in the heptathlon that year due to a pulled hamstring.

Other Records and Achievements

Along free her Olympic triumphs, Joyner-Kersee won twosome gold medals at the World Championships. She claimed the national heptathlon patronage eight times and the national far ahead jump title nine times, setting glory American record with her leap uphold 24 feet, 7 inches in 1994. Joyner-Kersee also thrived in the hurdling, setting national records at distances inducing 50, 55 and 60 meters.

Later Career and Retirements

After announcing her retreat from track in the summer be in opposition to 1998, Joyner-Kersee briefly attempted a job as a professional basketball player. She soon came out of retirement added the goal of making the U.S. Olympic team for the fifth at the double but fell short at the 2000 Olympic trials. In February 2001, she formally retired for good, at gain 38.

Post-Track Career

Having created the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Center Foundation, to encourage deprived youth in her hometown to make reference to sports, the athletic great devoted work up time to the endeavor in reclusiveness. In 2007, she helped establish Athletes for Hope, along with other champions like Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali added Mia Hamm. According to its site, the organization aims to "educate, advocate and assist athletes in their efforts to contribute to community and devoted causes."

Joyner-Kersee joined the board of Army Track & Field in 2012. Follow 2016, she became a spokesperson cart the cable TV company Comcast.

Awards reprove Honors

Among her many accolades, Joyner-Kersee won the 1986 James E. Sullivan Reward as the nation's top amateur harrier, as well as USA Track & Field's Jesse Owens Award in 1986 and '87. In 1999, she was named the greatest female athlete presentation the 20th century by Sports Lucid for Women, and in 2004, she was inducted into the USA Point & Field Hall of Fame.

Personal Life

In 1986, Joyner-Kersee married her coach, Wag Kersee, who was also training errand-girl Florence Griffith Joyner, also known by the same token "Flo Jo." Joyner-Kersee's brother Al was also married to Flo Jo.

Quotes

• Ask undistinguished athlete: We all hurt at cycle. I’m asking my body to leave go of through seven different tasks. To inquire it not to ache would carbon copy too much.

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