25 Jackie Joyner-Kersee Quotes on Athletics, Determination, and Dreams
Jackie Joyner-Kersee (1962-present) is a retired American track and field athlete who is widely considered the greatest female athlete of all time. Named after First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy by her grandmother, who predicted she would "be the first lady of something," Joyner-Kersee grew up in extreme poverty in East St. Louis, Illinois, where she could see the Gateway Arch but could not cross the river to reach it. She won three Olympic gold medals, one silver, and two bronze across four Olympic Games, and still holds the world record in the heptathlon.
At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Joyner-Kersee produced the greatest heptathlon performance in history, scoring 7,291 points -- a world record that has stood for over 35 years and may never be broken. Over two days, she competed in seven events (100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m), excelling in all of them with a combination of speed, power, and endurance that no athlete before or since has matched. She then won a second gold medal in the long jump. What made her achievement even more remarkable was that she competed with severe asthma that sometimes left her gasping for breath between events. As she said: "It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret." That forward-looking philosophy, from an athlete who escaped poverty through sheer talent and determination, captures the mindset that made her the greatest all-around female athlete the world has ever seen.
Who Is Jackie Joyner-Kersee?
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Born | March 3, 1962, East St. Louis, Illinois, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Sport | Track and Field — Heptathlon and Long Jump |
| Known For | Three Olympic gold medals; still holds the heptathlon world record (7,291 points, set in 1988); Sports Illustrated named her the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th century |
Key Achievements and Episodes
The 1988 Seoul Olympics — Setting the Unbreakable Record
At the 1988 Seoul Olympics, Jackie Joyner-Kersee scored 7,291 points in the heptathlon, setting a world record that has stood for over 35 years and is considered one of the most unassailable marks in athletics. She excelled in all seven events — 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m — demonstrating a versatility unmatched in the history of women's athletics. She won the heptathlon gold and added a second gold in the long jump with a leap of 7.40 meters. Her dominance was so complete that the silver medalist finished over 400 points behind her.
Overcoming Asthma and Poverty
Joyner-Kersee grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, one of the poorest and most dangerous cities in America. Her family's house had no heat, and she often went to bed hungry. She was diagnosed with severe asthma as a teenager, a condition that would have ended most athletic careers. Instead, she learned to manage it through medication and training adaptations, never allowing it to become an excuse. Her journey from poverty to becoming the greatest female athlete in history inspired generations, and she later established the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation to provide athletic and educational opportunities to children in East St. Louis.
Six Olympic Medals Across Four Games
Joyner-Kersee competed in four consecutive Olympic Games from 1984 to 1996, winning six medals — three gold, one silver, and two bronze. She won the heptathlon in 1988 and 1992, the long jump in 1988, earned heptathlon silver in 1984, and took bronze in the long jump in both 1992 and 1996. Her longevity at the highest level was extraordinary, and she was competing for medals at age 34 in Atlanta despite injuries and the natural decline that affects all athletes. Sports Illustrated for Women named her the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century, a distinction few have disputed.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Quotes on Athletics and Competition
Jackie Joyner-Kersee's dominance in the heptathlon remains unmatched in the history of women's track and field. Her world record of 7,291 points, set at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, has stood for over 35 years and is considered one of the most unbreakable records in all of athletics. Over two days of competition in Seoul, she excelled across all seven events -- the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200 meters, long jump, javelin, and 800 meters -- demonstrating a versatility that no subsequent female athlete has approached. Joyner-Kersee also won Olympic gold in the long jump at those same Games with a leap of 7.40 meters, making her one of the few athletes to win gold in both a multi-event and an individual event at the same Olympics.
"It is better to look ahead and prepare than to look back and regret."
A Kind of Grace: The Autobiography of the World's Greatest Female Athlete, 1997
"The only person who can stop you from reaching your goals is you."
Motivational speech at the United States Olympic Committee event, 2004
"Women who set a low standard of achievement for themselves are cutting their own throats."
Interview with ESPN, 1998
"Age is no barrier. It's a limitation you put on your mind."
Interview during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where she competed at age 34
"I maintained my edge by always being a student; you will always have something new to learn."
A Kind of Grace, autobiography, 1997
"I compete against myself. That's how I push myself to greatness."
Interview with Track & Field News, 1992
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Quotes on Determination and Hard Work
Joyner-Kersee grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, one of the most impoverished and dangerous cities in America, where she could see the Gateway Arch across the Mississippi River but could not afford to cross the bridge to reach it. Named after First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy by her grandmother, who predicted she would "be the first lady of something," Joyner-Kersee used athletics as her path out of poverty. She earned a basketball and track scholarship to UCLA, where she met her future husband and coach, Bob Kersee, who recognized her extraordinary multi-event potential. Her training regimen was punishing -- eight to ten hours a day across multiple disciplines -- and she competed through severe asthma that required her to carry an inhaler at all times.
"Ask any athlete: We all hurt at times. I'm asking my body to go through seven releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing releasing-- you know, seven different releasing exercises in two days. That's really tough."
Interview about the demands of the heptathlon, Sports Illustrated, 1988
"I don't think being an athlete is unfeminine. I think of it as a kind of grace."
A Kind of Grace, autobiography, 1997
"There is nothing I would not do for my community. They made me who I am."
Remarks at the opening of the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center in East St. Louis, 2000
"When I was young, the thing I wanted most was to get out of East St. Louis. Now the thing I want most is to give back to it."
Interview with the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 2002
"Great things come from hard work and perseverance. No excuses."
Motivational speaking engagement, widely quoted
"Asthma never stopped me. It was just one more thing I had to overcome."
Interview about competing with exercise-induced asthma, ESPN, 1996
"Dedication and hard work are my biggest talents."
Interview with USA Track & Field, 2000
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Quotes on Dreams and Inspiration
Joyner-Kersee competed in four Olympic Games from 1984 to 1996, winning three gold medals, one silver, and two bronze, making her one of the most decorated female track and field athletes in Olympic history. Her silver medal in the heptathlon at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, where she missed gold by just five points, fueled the determination that produced her world-record-setting performances in subsequent years. At the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, she won heptathlon gold again despite competing with a hamstring injury, and at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, she earned a bronze in the long jump at age 34. Sports Illustrated named her the greatest female athlete of the 20th century, recognizing her combination of athletic excellence, personal character, and inspirational journey from poverty to global prominence.
"If I could go back to my childhood and tell that little girl one thing, it would be: everything you're going through is preparing you for something greater."
Speech at the Women's Sports Foundation annual gala, 2008
"Set your goals high, and when you accomplish them, set new ones."
Motivational speaking event for youth athletes, 2005
"Sports taught me that it's okay to fail, as long as you get back up and try again."
Interview with NBC Sports, 2012
"Your dreams have to be bigger than your fears."
Commencement address at George Washington University, 2010
"I wanted to be the best in the world at something. When I found the heptathlon, I found my purpose."
A Kind of Grace, autobiography, 1997
Jackie Joyner-Kersee Quotes on Giving Back and Legacy
Since retiring from competition, Joyner-Kersee has devoted herself to giving back to the community where she grew up through the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, which she established in 1988. The foundation operates a youth center in East St. Louis that provides after-school programs, leadership training, and athletic opportunities for children who face the same economic challenges she overcame. Her commitment to education and community development has earned her the recognition of four U.S. presidents, and she has received numerous humanitarian awards alongside her athletic honors. Joyner-Kersee's legacy proves that the greatest victory is not the medal itself but the ability to use one's platform to lift others out of the circumstances that once seemed insurmountable.
"The medals don't mean as much to me as the kids I can help in my hometown."
Interview with the Associated Press about the Joyner-Kersee Foundation, 2003
"My legacy is not in the records. It's in the lives I've touched."
Speech at the International Women's Day celebration, 2015
"If you have the opportunity to give a child hope, take it. That's worth more than any gold medal."
Keynote address at a Boys & Girls Clubs of America event, 2011
"I am proof that where you come from does not determine where you end up."
Interview with Oprah Winfrey, 2000
Frequently Asked Questions About Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Why is Jackie Joyner-Kersee called the greatest female athlete ever?
Jackie Joyner-Kersee is often called the greatest female athlete of all time because of her dominance in the heptathlon and long jump across three Olympic Games. She won three Olympic gold medals, one silver, and two bronze between 1984 and 1996, and set the heptathlon world record of 7,291 points at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a mark that still stands. Sports Illustrated named her the greatest female athlete of the 20th century. Her ability to excel across seven different track and field events -- 100m hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200m, long jump, javelin, and 800m -- demonstrated a versatility unmatched in women's athletics.
What heptathlon world record did Jackie Joyner-Kersee set?
Jackie Joyner-Kersee set the heptathlon world record of 7,291 points at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, a record that has stood for over 35 years and is considered one of the most untouchable marks in track and field. She also set the previous world record of 7,148 points at the 1986 Goodwill Games. To put her dominance in perspective, her 7,291 points would have won every Olympic heptathlon and World Championship since 1988 by a significant margin. She scored above 7,000 points on six separate occasions, while no other heptathlete has achieved that mark more than twice.
Where did Jackie Joyner-Kersee grow up and how did she overcome poverty?
Jackie Joyner-Kersee grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, one of the most economically depressed cities in the United States. Her family lived across the street from a liquor store in a house with no consistent heating, and she witnessed violence and poverty daily. Her grandmother named her Jacqueline after First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, saying she would be 'first lady of something someday.' Joyner-Kersee used athletics as her path out of poverty, earning a basketball and track scholarship to UCLA, where she met her future husband and coach Bob Kersee, who developed her into the greatest multi-event athlete in history.
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