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Olympic Champion & Humanitarian

Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Olympics

Social Justice

Health and Fitness

Named the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated, Jackie Joyner-Kersee won six Olympic medals across four Games, holds the heptathlon world record of 7,291 points set in 1988, and founded the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation.

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Jackie Joyner-Kersee

St. Louis, United States

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St. Louis, United States

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Jackie Joyner-Kersee's biography

Basketball

Athlete

Olympian

Humanitarian

Inspirational Female

Motivational

Author

Sport

Coach

Educator

International Women's Day

Women's History Month

After Dinner Sports

Healthcare

At a glance

Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century
World record holder in heptathlon since 1988
Founder, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation

Named the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated, Jackie Joyner-Kersee is one of the most decorated Olympians in history and one of the most compelling motivational voices in sports. Across four consecutive Olympic Games, Jackie amassed six Olympic medals — three gold, one silver, and two bronze — in the heptathlon and long jump. She was the first woman to score more than 7,000 points in the heptathlon and still holds the world record of 7,291 points set in 1988. She also holds the Olympic and national records in the long jump, and her 1994 performance remains the second longest in history. A decorated All-American basketball player at UCLA, she was later voted Top Woman Collegiate Athlete of the Past 25 Years and named one of the 15 greatest players in UCLA women's basketball history. In 1988, she established the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, which provides youth and families in East St. Louis with resources to improve their quality of life. In 2007, she co-founded Athletes for Hope, helping professional athletes engage in charitable causes. She is the author of A Kind of Grace, her autobiography, and A Woman's Place Is Everywhere. Jackie speaks on high performance, goal setting, resilience, women's advocacy, and living with health challenges, drawing on a career defined by record-breaking achievement and community impact. Her sessions combine personal storytelling with practical frameworks that audiences apply immediately. Book Jackie for events where you need a speaker whose credibility is unimpeachable and whose story moves people to act.

Topics, sessions and talks

Breaking Records, Building Resilience

Jackie Joyner-Kersee became the first woman to score over 7,000 points in the heptathlon — not through natural ease, but through relentless discipline and the decision to compete through adversity, including a career-long battle with asthma. She shares the mental frameworks behind record-breaking performance: how to set goals that stretch beyond what seems possible, how to train the mind alongside the body, and how to return stronger after setbacks. Audiences leave with tools to apply elite-level thinking to their own challenges.

A Woman's Place Is Everywhere

Growing up in East St. Louis, Jackie Joyner-Kersee was told what she could not be. She went on to become the most decorated female track and field athlete in Olympic history. This session traces her path from a community with limited resources to the world stage, exploring the role of mentorship, advocacy, and self-belief in breaking through systemic barriers. Jackie draws on her foundation work and her own story to help organizations build cultures where women and underrepresented talent can genuinely thrive.

Community as a Competitive Advantage: What My Foundation Taught Me About Leadership

Jackie Joyner-Kersee grew up in East St. Louis with limited resources — and returned to found the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, which has served youth and families there for over 35 years. In this session, she draws on that experience to explore how purpose-driven leadership builds organizational strength, how community investment creates loyalty and performance that no financial incentive alone can replicate, and what it looks like to compete for something bigger than personal achievement. The session applies directly to organizations working on culture, retention, and long-term impact.

Why we recommend booking Jackie

The only woman ever to score more than 7,000 points in the heptathlon, Jackie Joyner-Kersee holds a world record set in 1988 that still stands today, was voted the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century by Sports Illustrated, and won six Olympic medals across four Games. When that level of competitive credibility is what your event requires, there are very few names on the list.

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How do I book Jackie Joyner-Kersee for my next event?

Email jackie.joyner.kersee@getapeptalk.com or call PepTalk on +44 20 3835 2929 (UK) or +1 737 888 5112 (US), and one of our speaker agents will contact you within hours to confirm availability and fees. If you can, please include your budget upfront – it helps us fast-track your request. It’s also helpful to know the date, format (virtual or in-person), location, and a bit about your audience. As speaker agents, PepTalk can secure Jackie Joyner-Kersee for commercial and corporate events, conference keynotes, leadership talks, celebrity brand endorsements & partnerships, personal appearances, and motivational speaking engagements. We can assist with enquiries about Jackie Joyner-Kersee's speaking fees, availability, and booking process for private business functions, industry conferences, and team events. Please note, for media interviews, autographs, charity appearances, or personal matters, we recommend contacting Jackie Joyner-Kersee directly.

What is Jackie Joyner-Kersee's speaking style like?

Jackie delivers authentic, inspiring and entertaining talks that connect warmly with audiences, leaving attendees elated, engaged and motivated to act.

What topics does Jackie Joyner-Kersee specialise in?

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