Still Running the Race: How Jackie Joyner-Kersee Redefined Greatness On and Off the Track

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is synonymous with greatness in the track and field world. Born in 1962 in East St. Louis, Illinois, she seemed destined from the start for athletic stardom.

While attending East St. Louis Lincoln High School, Joyner-Kersee didn’t just participate—she dominated. Her achievements in the long jump were so impressive they earned her a spot in the finals at the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials. Although she finished eighth behind fellow high school phenom Carol Lewis, the experience lit a fire within her. 

Determined to stand atop the Olympic podium one day, she set out to broaden her abilities and compete in multi-disciplinary track and field events.

But Joyner-Kersee’s ambition didn’t stop at track and field. From 1980 to 1985, she attended UCLA, where she excelled on the track and served as a starter on the women’s basketball team. Her senior year, however, she made a pivotal decision: to focus entirely on the 1984 Summer Olympics and train for the heptathlon.

Training for the heptathlon is no easy feat. The event consists of seven grueling disciplines—100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run—each demanding a unique combination of speed, strength, and endurance.

That hard work paid off on the world stage. At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, Joyner-Kersee captured the silver medal in the heptathlon in a thrilling showdown. Entering as the favorite, she delivered a powerful performance, finishing just five points behind Australian champion Glynis Nunn. She also placed fifth in the long jump, further proving her incredible versatility and cementing her reputation as one of the sport’s most dynamic athletes.

Throughout her illustrious career, Joyner-Kersee competed in four consecutive Olympic Games (1984–1996), earning six medals: three gold, one silver, and two bronze. Her performance at the 1988 Seoul Olympics was legendary—she won gold in both the heptathlon and long jump, setting a world record of 7,291 points in the heptathlon, a record that still stands today. 

She added another heptathlon gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, along with bronze medals in the long jump at both the 1992 and 1996 Games.

While her athletic achievements are historic, Joyner-Kersee’s impact goes far beyond the track. In 1988, she founded the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation to support youth in her hometown through programs focused on academics, athletics, and leadership. From after-school programs to summer camps and the “Winning in Life” initiative, the foundation empowers young people to dream big and build strong futures.

In 2007, she co-founded Athletes for Hope, an organization that connects professional athletes with charitable causes and encourages community involvement.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee is more than an athletic hero—she’s a beacon of service, resilience, and purpose. Her legacy continues to inspire new generations, proving that greatness is not just measured in medals, but in the lives we impact and change along the way.