Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kerseeis an American retired track and field athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those two events at four different Olympic Games. Sports Illustrated for Women magazine voted Joyner-Kersee the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century, just ahead of Babe Didrikson Zaharias...
NationalityAmerican
ProfessionRunner
Date of Birth3 March 1962
CitySt. Louis, MO
CountryUnited States of America
I really do miss playing basketball. I don't play a lot of pick-up games. But I do like using basketball as a form of cross training.
I'm not shy. I'm modest, but I'm very outgoing.
I always keep myself in a position of being a student.
Teaching kids about health and fitness is important to me. It's about being fit for life.
Give back in some way. Always be thoughtful of others.
The rewards are going to come, but my happiness is just loving the sport and having fun performing.
Once I leave this earth, I know I've done something that will continue to help others.
People assuming that because I'm a great athlete, I can dance. But no. My rhythm is off a little bit.
It wasn't until I was 14 and watched the 1976 Olympic games on television that I really started to dream about the big time. I remember seeing Evelyn Ashford in the 100 meters, and she was going to UCLA.
The only person who can stop you from reaching your goals is you.
I maintained my edge by always being a student; you will always have something new to learn.
We live in a world where sports have the potential to bridge the gap between racism, sexism and discrimination. The 2012 Olympic Games was a great start but hopefully what these games taught us is that if women are given an opportunity on an equal playing field the possibilities for women are endless.
There is something about seeing myself improve that motivates and excites me.
For me it's the challenge -- the challenge to try to beat myself or do better than I did in the past. I try to keep in mind not what I have accomplished but what I have to try to accomplish in the future.