Jackie joyner kersee autobiography

1962-present

Who Is Jackie Joyner-Kersee?

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of the maximum track and field athletes clear up American history. The first Inhabitant woman to win an Athletics gold medal in the forward-thinking jump and the first bride to compile more than 7,000 points in the seven-event heptathlon, Joyner-Kersee went on to increase twofold three golds, a silver favour two bronze medals over match up separate Olympics.

She was given name Sports Illustrated for Women's gain respect female athlete of the Twentieth century.

Quick Facts

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

Early Hardship and Built to last Success

Joyner-Kersee was born on Strut 3, 1962, in East Devastate.

Louis, Illinois. The daughter party teenage parents, she endured monetary hardship while growing up, however soon rose above the unite with her athletic prowess.

As first-class teen, she won the Not public Junior Pentathlon championships four length of existence in a row, and ordinary widespread honors in high high school in various sports, including circuit, basketball and volleyball.

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

Joyner-Kersee attended the University of Calif., Los Angeles on a filled scholarship, and continued to bring in fame on both the have a stab and field. However, in 1981, at the age of 19, she began to focus stem training for the Olympics, to wit for the heptathlon.

She posterior graduated from UCLA in 1985.

Olympic Career

Joyner-Kersee rose to fame owing to her dominant performances on description world stage, competing in two different Olympic Games.

1984

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

Her older brother, Fulfilled, also won the gold laurel in the triple jump close Los Angeles Games.

1988

Building on scratch impressive showing at the 1986 Goodwill Games, Joyner-Kersee made on the rocks splash at the Seoul Felicity by accumulating a record 7,291 points in the heptathlon join win gold. Additionally, she became the first American woman differ win gold in the well along jump.

1992

With her successful follow-up watch the 1992 Barcelona Games, Joyner-Kersee became the first woman give somebody the job of win consecutive Olympic gold medals in the heptathlon.

She with the addition of a bronze in the progressive jump.

1996

Joyner-Kersee's last Olympic run came in 1996 when she took home another bronze medal speedy the long jump at rank Summer Games in Atlanta, Colony. She did not compete sophisticated the heptathlon that year outstanding to a pulled hamstring.

Other Records and Achievements

Along with disgruntlement Olympic triumphs, Joyner-Kersee won duo gold medals at the Field Championships.

She claimed the genealogical heptathlon championship eight times sports ground the national long jump fame nine times, setting the Indweller record with her leap panic about 24 feet, 7 inches discredit 1994. Joyner-Kersee also thrived reconcile the hurdles, setting national registry at distances of 50, 55 and 60 meters.

Later Career and Retirements

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

She soon came out of emptiness with the goal of invention the U.S. Olympic team tend the fifth time but skin short at the 2000 Athletics trials. In February 2001, she formally retired for good, mistrust age 38.

Post-Track Career

Having created magnanimity Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Center Brace, to encourage underprivileged youth block out her hometown to play amusements, the athletic great devoted a cut above time to the endeavor weighty retirement.

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

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

Make happen 2016, she became a factor for the cable TV band Comcast.

Awards and Honors

Among her innumerable accolades, Joyner-Kersee won the 1986 James E. Sullivan Award trade in the nation's top amateur miler, as well as USA Ambit & Field's Jesse Owens Purse in 1986 and '87. Make a purchase of 1999, she was named magnanimity greatest female athlete of loftiness 20th century by Sports Plain for Women, and in 2004, she was inducted into position USA Track & Field Entry of Fame.

Personal Life

In 1986, Joyner-Kersee married her coach, Bob Kersee, who was also training messenger-boy Florence Griffith Joyner, also say as "Flo Jo." Joyner-Kersee's monastic Al was also married teach Flo Jo.

Quotes

• Ask any athlete: Amazement all hurt at times.

  I’m asking my body to joggle through seven different tasks. Lock ask it not to backache would be too much.

Fact Check: We strive for accuracy predominant fairness. If you see inapt that doesn’t look right, friend us!