When you think about sports, what do you think about when the letter s is used? If you’ve ever watched the Olympics, you’ve probably heard of some famous athletes that start with the letter S. Here are some of them:
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee showed her talent at a young age by winning four consecutive national junior pentathlon championships. While in high school, she competed on a volleyball and basketball team, as well as the track and field team. At the same time, she was listed on the honor roll, and she received a scholarship to UCLA. However, tragedy struck her family when her mother passed away from a rare form of meningitis. Joyner-Kersee didn’t pursue a degree in medicine or law, and instead dedicated herself to her sports.
Her athletic career came to a close in July 1998, when she shocked the world with her fourth Goodwill Games gold medal. She then took her final long jump at the U.S. Open Track and Field’s Farewell to JJK, a celebration just twenty miles away from her hometown of East St. Louis. Joyner-Kersee remained an inspiration to athletes who strive to achieve their goals in life.
In the 1980s, Jackie Joyner-Kersee became the first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the long jump. In 1986, she became the first woman to reach 7,000 points in the heptathlon. This feat made her the most successful female athlete of the twentieth century. Joyner-Kersee was born on March 3, 1962, in East St. Louis, Illinois, and raised by teenage parents. Her athletic talent helped her rise above the difficulties that her family faced in her upbringing.
Despite her success as an athlete, her most memorable moment was when she was singled out in a long jump competition against East Germans. The athletes would jog on one runway while the other one was used for warm-ups. During the competition, Joyner-Kersee glared at one athlete, who ignored her, while another jogged on the opposite runway. Her glare, however, did not have the desired effect on the East German athlete.
The 1988 Olympics brought Jackie Joyner-Kersee to a close friendship with her coach, Bob Kersee. The two became romantically involved and were married on January 11, 1986. Bob and Florence Griffith also became a “family of champions.”
After retiring from the Olympics, Joyner-Kersee competed for the United States in heptathlon events and won a gold medal for this feat. She went on to win bronze medals in long jump, high jump, and heptathlon in 1992 in Barcelona. Her performance in the heptathlon was so successful that she missed the 1996 Games because of a hamstring injury.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Michael Jordan, and other famous athletes that begin with the letter s were among the most prominent African-Americans. Besides athletes, famous Black people include golfers, gymnasts, basketball players, and track stars. Some famous football players have names that begin with the letter H, including Bob Ingalls and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
The list of famous athletes that start with the letter s includes Freddie Couples, a professional golfer, and Alfie Allen, a first baseman for the Milwaukee Brewers. Jackie Joyner-Kersee was born in Lisbon in 1920 and won two Olympic medals in the 200 and 400-meter races at the 1984 Olympics. She also won the relay title.
