Olympic Gold Medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee Visits Odessa

With the 2018 Winter Olympics in PeyongChang in full effect, what better time to get a visit from an Olympic gold medalist?

According to NewsWest 9, the summer Olympian was in town for the John Ben Sheppard Distinguished Lecture Series hosted by UTPB.

Ms. Joyner-Kersee spoke on perseverance, accomplishing goals, and the process of building a winner within yourself.

“I think it’s important that we recognize that we are going to be faced with challenges and that’s a test of your character, that’s going to test your strength, your ability to endure the ups and downs some people see the end result, they don’t see the building of a champion. They don’t see the days that you’re struggling,” said Joyner-Kersee.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee was named by Sports Illustrated as the Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century.

Not only does she have three gold medals, she also has one silver and two bronze medals she won in the Summer Olympics beginning in 1984 in Los Angeles, until her final Summer Olympics in Atlanta in 1996.