Considered by many to be the greatest female all-around athlete in history, Jackie Joyner-Kersee's achievements include three Olympic gold medals, four World Outdoor Championships gold medals, and the still-standing world record of 7,291 points in the women's heptathlon. JJK was a four-time Olympian, who won the long jump gold medal in 1988, and long jump bronze in 1992 and 1996. In Olympic heptathlon competition she won the silver medal in 1984 and the gold medal in 1988 and 1992. A four-time World Outdoor Championships team member, she won long jump gold medals in 1987 and 1991, and heptathlon gold in 1987 and 1993. The USA 100m hurdles champion in 1994, JJK won the national long jump title nine times, and the national championship in the heptathlon on eight occasions. During her career at the USA Indoor Championships, she won the 60m hurdles title in 1992, and the long jump national crown in 1992, '94, '95. As a collegian at UCLA, Joyner-Kersee won the NCAA heptathlon title in 1982, 1983. The former long jump world record holder, she set the heptathlon world record three times and was a two-time 100mH U.S. record holder, four-time U.S. long jump record holder, two-time U.S. 60m hurdles record holder and six-time and current U.S. indoor long jump record holder. She is the current U.S. indoor 50mH, 55mH and 60mH record holder. JJK, the first woman ever to break 7,000 points in the heptathlon, was world ranked three times at 100m hurdles, 11 times at LJ (#1 three times) and 11 times in the heptathlon (#1 six times).
Among her many accolades, Joyner-Kersee won the 1986 James E. Sullivan Award as the nation's top amateur athlete, as well as USA Track & Field's Jesse Owens Award in 1986 and '87. In 1999, she was named the greatest female athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated for Women.
Since retiring, she created the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Youth Center Foundation, to encourage underprivileged youth in her hometown to play sports, the athletic great devoted more time to the endeavor in retirement. In 2007, she helped establish Athletes for Hope, along with other champions like Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali and Mia Hamm. According to its website, the organization aims to "educate, encourage and assist athletes in their efforts to contribute to community and charitable causes."
Events
Heptathlon - 7291 pts.
Long Jump - 7.49 m
100 m hurdles - 12.61
Records Held
World Record: Heptathlon - 7148 pts.
World Record: Heptathlon - 7158 pts.
World Record: Heptathlon - 7215 pts.
World Record: Heptathlon - 7291 pts.
World Record: Long Jump - 7.45 m (August 13, 1987)
American Record (indoor): Long Jump - 7.13 m (March 5, 1994)
American Record (indoor): 50 m hurdles - 6.67 (February 10, 1995)
American Record (indoor): 55 m hurdles - 7.37 (February 3, 1989)
Championships
1984 Olympic Games: Heptathlon (2nd)
1988 Olympic Games: Heptathlon - 7291 pts. (1st)
1988 Olympic Games: Long Jump - 7.40 m (1st)
1992 Olympic Games: Heptathlon - 7044 pts. (1st)
1992 Olympic Games: Long Jump - 7.07 m (3rd)
1996 Olympic Games: Long Jump - 7.00 m (3rd)
1982 USA Outdoor Championships: Heptathlon - 6041 pts. (1st)
1984 U.S. Olympic Trials: Heptathlon - 6520 pts. (1st)
1986 USA Indoor Championships: Long Jump - 6.97 m (1st)
1987 USA Indoor Championships: 60 m hurdles - 7.64 (1st)
1987 USA Outdoor Championships: Long Jump - 280.50 m (1st)
1987 USA Outdoor Championships: Heptathlon - 6979 pts. (1st)
1988 U.S. Olympic Trials: Heptathlon - 7215 pts. (1st)
1988 U.S. Olympic Trials: Long Jump - 7.45 m (1st)
1990 USA Outdoor Championships: Long Jump - 7.08 m (1st)
1991 USA Outdoor Championships: Long Jump - 6.91 m (1st)
1991 USA Outdoor Championships: Heptathlon - 6878 pts. (1st)
1992 U.S. Olympic Trials: Long Jump - 7.08 m (1st)
1992 U.S. Olympic Trials: Heptathlon - 6695 pts. (1st)
1992 USA Indoor Championships: Long Jump - 6.84 m (1st)
1992 USA Indoor Championships: 60 m hurdles - 8.07 (1st)
1993 USA Outdoor Championships: Long Jump - 7.02 m (1st)
1993 USA Outdoor Championships: Heptathlon - 6770 pts. (1st)
1994 USA Indoor Championships: Long Jump - 7.13 m (1st)
1994 USA Outdoor Championships: Long Jump - 7.14 m (1st)
1994 USA Outdoor Championships: 100 m hurdles - 12.88 (1st)
1995 USA Indoor Championships: Long Jump - 6.72 m (1st)
1995 USA Outdoor Championships: Long Jump - 6.88 m (1st)
1995 USA Outdoor Championships: Heptathlon - 6375 pts. (1st)
1996 U.S. Olympic Trials: Long Jump - 7.04 m (1st)
1982 NCAA: Heptathlon (1st)
1983 NCAA: Heptathlon (1st)
