Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Olympic Speaker and six-time Gold Medalist Jackie Joyner Kersee came from very humble beginnings growing up in East St. Louis, Illinois. Jackie grew up in a family that produced not one but two Olympic Gold Medalists; her brother Al Joyner won his Gold in the Triple Jump at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. It was this family and Jackie’s upbringing that contributed to the philanthropist she is today. She loves to give back to the community and does so through her Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation which brings athletic education for a better quality of life to the East St. Louis community. Jackie also was a part of the team of sports superstars who founded Athletes for Hope in 2007; other members of the team of founders included Muhammad Ali, Mia Hamm, Andre Agassi, Tony Hawk, Mario Lemieux, Mia Hamm, Jeff Gordon, and Cal Ripken, Jr.  Joyner-Kersee also serves on the Board of Directors for USA Track & Field.

A world class athlete in the heptathlon, long jump, 100 meter hurdles, and 200 meter events, Olympic speaker Jackie Joyner-Kersee has earned many athletic achievements throughout her career. These accolades include six Olympic Gold medals, four World Championship titles, being named The Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated, winner of the Jesse Owens Award two years in a row, and the 2010 NCAA Silver Anniversary Awards honoree. As the first woman to earn more than 7,000 points in heptathlon history, Jackie set countless records in track and field events and is still the Women’s Heptathlon World Record Holder with 7,291 points.