Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee visited Indianapolis Friday to help the next generation of USA track & field athletes. 25 children ages 9-18 from across the country are in town for the launch of the two-day USA Track & Field inaugural development camp.
“While learning, make it fun,” Joyner-Kersee told the young athletes. “Enjoy what you do. But also listen to what they're asking you to do.”
The advice comes from a 54-year-old six-time Olympic medalist who won three gold medals, but still remembers when she was just a little girl with a dream.
“I see women on TV running track and field, so I was like maybe one day I can go to the Olympics and be on TV, Joyner-Kersee told the campers. “That's what I wanted to do.”
Sports Illustrated named Joyner-Kersee the greatest female athlete of the 20th century.
“It's a great compliment to my gift,” said Joyner-Kersee, “but also to the people who helped prepare me to do great things on the athletic field. I keep things in perspective, but I never lose sight of who I am and what I stand for. My coaches saw the potential and all they stressed to me is that I had to be willing to work hard. That was my attitude was to work hard, not knowing that greatness would come after that. But what is greatness? For me, it was always challenging myself to be better than the day before.”
Joyner-Kersee competed all over the world, but built some of her legacy right here in Indianapolis. She tied the world record in the long jump at 7.45 meters at the 1987 Pan Am Games in Indianapolis. A year later, she qualified for the Olympics at the US Team Trials, also held at IUPUI's Carroll Stadium.
“That was electrifying,” said Joyner-Kersee. “Very, very fond memories, but then also the fans and the people are very warm and friendly and engaging, very supportive."
Joyner-Kersee went from Indianapolis to the 1988 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea. She won her first gold medal with a world record of 7,291 points in the heptathlon that still stands 28 years later. Joyner-Kersee says there are athletes that could challenge her record, but many favor one track and field specialty rather than the rigors of seven events.
“Not only does it challenge you from the physical, but the emotional side of you, the mental side, because you could be on a high from running your lifetime best in the hurdles and then going into your strong event you could misstep,” said Joyner-Kersee. “Then all of a sudden you've got to regroup, get your mind focused, get that event out of your mind and go on to the next event. So it's a tug of war of emotions, up and downs with attitudes with yourself as well as with your coaches.”
Joyner-Kersee also won a gold medal in the long jump in the ’88 Games. She repeated as gold medalist in the heptathlon in the 1992 Olympics at Barcelona, Spain.
“It's the pinnacle for an Olympic hopeful to make the Olympic team and then have the ability to choose which color you want your medal to be: gold, silver or bronze,” said Joyner-Kersee. “That is the pinnacle. To know that you worked so hard and you only have one shot at it. It only comes around every four years. It's not a guarantee that you could be there the next four years.”
The campers posed for a photograph with Joyner-Kersee in the stands at Key Stadium at the University of Indianapolis.
“Jackie on three,” shouted the photographer. “1-2-3.”
“Jackie!” replied the campers with big smiles.
Joyner-Kersee provides living inspiration for the next generation.