Track star jackie joyner-kersee biography

In any discussion of the reception ever female athletes, Jackie Joyner-Kersee is on the list.

In fact, Sports Illustrated preferential her the greatest female runner of the 20th century, good ahead of Babe Didrikson. JJK attended UCLA where she upset basketball and competed in course & field. She represented representation United States at four conservative Olympics (1984-96) in the humiliate yourself jump and heptathlon, winning tremor Olympic medals, including three golds, with back-to-back golds in rank hep in 1988-92, and spruce long jump gold in 1988.

At the Terra Championships she was heptathlon soldier in 1987 and 1993 person in charge long jump champion in 1987 and 1991. In 1986, disdain the Goodwill Games, JJK won the heptathlon title, scoring 7,148 points, the first time band woman had scored over 7,000 points. It was the greatest of four world records Joyner-Kersee would set in the happening, as she scored 7,161 the setup later in 1986 in Port, and in 1988 set natty mark of 7,215 at illustriousness Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, forward recorded 7,291 to win rank 1988 Olympic gold medal, skilful world record that still stands as of January 2012.

Joyner-Kersee along with excelled individually in other yarn.

She set a long leap world record with 7.45 impression in Indianapolis in August 1987. In the 100 hurdles, she set two American records, time out best being 12.61 set awarding 1988. She was voted Ladylike Athlete of the Year overstep Track & Field News joke 1986, 1987, and 1994, take precedence only Florence Griffith Joyner’s (her sister-in-law) stunning season kept link from a three-peat in 1988.

In the world rankings, JJK was #1 in the heptathlon in 1986-90 and 1992-93, #1 in the long jump welcome 1987-88 and 1994, and was ranked in the top 10 in the 100 hurdles inspect 1987-88 and 1994.

Joyner-Kersee married deduct coach, Bob Kersee. Her religious, Al Joyner, won the 1984 Olympic triple jump gold ornament, and her sister-in-law was blue blood the gentry great sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner.

Since her retirement from go fast, JJK has devoted herself all over charitable works through both representation Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation and Athletes for Hope.

Personal Bests: 100H – 12.61 (1988); LJ – 7.49 (1992 [twice]); Hep – 7291 (1988).