U.S. #5668
2022 58¢ Title IX: Runner
Issue Date: March 3, 2022
First Day City: Washington, DC
Type of Stamp: Commemorative
Printed by: Ashton Potter (USA) Ltd.
Printing Method: Offset
Format: Pane of 20
Self-Adhesive
Quantity Printed: 30,000,000
Jacqueline Joyner-Kersee began her career as an athlete at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). There, she became a rising star in track and field as well as women's basketball between 1980 and 1985. During this time, she was presented with the Broderick Award twice (1983 and 1985) as well as the Broderick Cup in 1985. The cup marked her as the best female collegiate athlete in the country that year. Her career only progressed from there...
In the summer of 1984, Joyner-Kersee competed in the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games and won silver in the heptathlon. This event included the 100-meter hurdles, high jump, shot put, 200-meter dash, long jump, javelin throw, and 800-meter run. She was just five points behind gold medalist Glynis Nunn of Australia. This was especially impressive as she was still in college at the time. At the 1986 Goodwill Games, Joyner-Kersee became the first woman in history to earn over 7,000 points in the heptathlon.
Joyner-Kersee continued breaking records and earning Olympic medals. This included her becoming the first American woman to earn a gold medal in long jump and the heptathlon. She was also named the greatest female athlete of the 20th century by Sports Illustrated. It just goes to show what female athletes can accomplish when given the chance.