Each day of Trials competition, renowned American athletes are honored in conjunction with the events of the day. Here is Friday’s honoree:
Jackie Joyner-Kersee — born March 3, 1962, in East St. Louis, Ill. — is a four-time Olympian and considered to be one of the greatest female athletes of the 20th century.
She has claimed three Olympic gold medals, four World Outdoor Championships gold medals and holds the still-standing world record of 7,291 points in the women’s heptathlon. She competed in the ’84, ’88, ’92 and ’94 Olympic Games, earning medals in long jump (two bronze, one gold) and the heptathlon (two gold, one silver).
Joyner-Kersee was also the first woman to score 7,000 points in the heptathlon and set the world record on three different occasions. In 2004, she was inducted into the USA Track and Field Hall of Fame and currently serves as a board member of USATF.
Heritage Athlete: Jackie Joyner-Kersee
June 27, 2012
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