Photo: Ash Carter—Public domain
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
- Born
- Mar 3, 1962 (64 years old)
- Birthplace
- East St. Louis, United States
- Events
- Heptathlon · Long Jump
- Height
- 1.78 m
- Weight
- 66 kg
- Club
- UCLA Bruins women's basketball
Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee is an American former track and field athlete who is widely regarded as one of the greatest female athletes of all time. Born on March 3, 1962, in East St. Louis, United States, she competed at the highest level in both the heptathlon and the long jump, excelling in two of the sport's most demanding disciplines.
Joyner-Kersee won six Olympic medals across four different Olympic Games, including three gold, one silver, and two bronze. She was also a four-time gold medalist at the World Championships, winning twice in the heptathlon and twice in the long jump. Since 1988, she has held the world record in the heptathlon, a mark that has endured for decades as one of the most formidable records in athletics.
Her remarkable versatility across the seven events of the heptathlon, combined with her elite-level long jump ability, set her apart from her contemporaries. Joyner-Kersee's sustained dominance over multiple Olympic cycles and her enduring world record have cemented her status as a true legend of track and field.
As of Oct 28, 2026: Heptathlon 7291 (#1 all-time), Long Jump 7.49 (#2 all-time), 2001 season best 12.06 (May 5, 2001, Fairfax, VA (USA)) · Olympic Games: 3 gold, 1 silver, 2 bronze · World Championships: 4 gold · World record (Heptathlon) · 64 years old
Personal bests
WA points calculator →* Wind-assisted (> 2.0 m/s)
Medals
| Competitions | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Olympic Games | 3 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| World Championships | 4 | – | – | 4 |
| Total | 7 | 1 | 2 | 10 |
Progression
| Season | Discipline | Result | Wind | Date | Competitions |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | 100m | 12.06 | +2.7 | May 5, 2001 | Fairfax, VA (USA) |
| 2000 | LJ | 6.67 | +1.3 | Jul 16, 2000 | Sacramento, CA (USA) |
| 1998 | HJ | 1.75 | – | Jul 21, 1998 | New York, NY (USA) |
| 1998 | LJ | 6.73 | +3.4 | Jul 22, 1998 | St. Louis, MO (USA) |
| 1998 | 100mH | 13.29 | -0.6 | Jul 21, 1998 | New York, NY (USA) |
| 1998 | SP | 15.59 | – | Jul 21, 1998 | New York, NY (USA) |
| 1998 | 200m | 24.47 | -0.9 | Jul 21, 1998 | New York, NY (USA) |
| 1998 | JT | 43.33 | – | Jul 22, 1998 | New York, NY (USA) |