Thursday, November 21, 2024

Jinsyn Barnes enjoys lunch with Olympic legend Jackie Joyner-Kersee

Jinsyn Barnes, a third year varsity track athlete at Frisco High School recently enjoyed lunch with Olympian Jackie Joyner-Kersee during a recent Destiny Awards event at the Belo Mansion in Dallas.

As one of the most decorated female athletes of all-time, Joyner-Kersee dominated the track and field circuit for 13 years and won three gold, one silver and two bronze medals spanning four Olympic Games during her illustrious career. At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, she won the silver medal in the heptathlon.

Four years later, at the 1988 Games in Seoul, Korea, she struck gold in both her signature events – the heptathlon (world record) and long jump. Joyner-Kersee followed up at the 1992 Games in Barcelona, Spain by winning gold in the heptathlon and bronze in the long jump.

In her final Olympic appearance at the 1996 Atlanta Games, she won the bronze medal in the long jump. In addition, she won a total of four gold medals (two in the heptathlon and two in the long jump) at three different World Championships and finished first in the long jump at the 1987 Pan American Games.

Joyner-Kersee still holds the world record in the heptathlon (7291 points) and is the American
record holder in both the heptathlon and long jump (24-7). Joyner-Kersee attended college at
UCLA and starred in both track & field and women’s basketball from 1980-to-1985.

Barnes and Joyner-Kersee shared up close and personal conversation during lunch, afterwards
autographing her Nike spikes, which has further inspired Barnes to continue her current
successful high school track record. She has high aspirations to continue track during her
forthcoming senior year and upon entrance into college next year.

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