Al Joyner
Encyclopedia
Alfredrick Alphonzo Joyner (born January 19, 1960) is an American athlete, who was Olympic
gold medalist in the triple jump
.
Joyner was born in East St. Louis, Illinois
. He was married to the late Florence Griffith-Joyner
, a multiple Olympic medal-winning sprinter; their daughter is Mary Ruth Joyner. His sister Jackie Joyner-Kersee
is also an Olympic gold medalist. Joyner married for a second time on June 28, 2003 to Alisha Biehn. They have two children, Skylar Rose and Jayden Alfredrick.
Joyner competed in the triple jump at Arkansas State University
and earned the nickname "Sweetwater."
In 1984, Joyner traveled to Los Angeles
for the Summer Olympics
to compete in triple jump
for the U.S. Olympic track and field team. With a leap of 17.26 m (56'-7.5"), he became the first American in 80 years to win a gold medal in this event. Al was also honored with the 1984 Jim Thorpe
Award, given annually to the top American male in the field events.
On August 18, 2000, he joined the UCLA track and field staff to coach the Bruin
women's jumps. Along with his coaching activities, Joyner also directs the Flo Jo Community Empowerment Foundation and Final Kick Marketing Group. He is a member of the Arkansas State (1993), State of Illinois (1997), and State of Arkansas (1999) Sports Halls of Fame.
In February 2010, Sean James
and Joyner appeared in a Planned Parenthood
anticipatory response message to a controversial Focus on the Family
Super Bowl commercial starring Tim Tebow
and his mother celebrating his mother's choice to bring her son to full term in spite of a life threatening illness.
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
gold medalist in the triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
.
Joyner was born in East St. Louis, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He was married to the late Florence Griffith-Joyner
Florence Griffith-Joyner
Florence Griffith-Joyner , also known as Flo-Jo was an American track and field athlete. She is considered the "fastest woman of all time" based on the fact that she still holds the world record for both the 100 metres and 200 metres, both set in 1988 and never seriously challenged...
, a multiple Olympic medal-winning sprinter; their daughter is Mary Ruth Joyner. His sister Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jackie Joyner-Kersee
Jacqueline "Jackie" Joyner-Kersee is a retired American athlete, ranked among the all-time greatest athletes in the women's heptathlon as well as in the women's long jump. She won three gold, one silver, and two bronze Olympic medals, in those four different events...
is also an Olympic gold medalist. Joyner married for a second time on June 28, 2003 to Alisha Biehn. They have two children, Skylar Rose and Jayden Alfredrick.
Joyner competed in the triple jump at Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University
Arkansas State University is a public university and is the flagship campus of the Arkansas State University System, the state's second largest college system and third largest university by enrollment. It is located atop on Crowley's Ridge at Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA...
and earned the nickname "Sweetwater."
In 1984, Joyner traveled to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
for the Summer Olympics
Athletics at the 1984 Summer Olympics
At the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, 41 events in athletics were contested, 24 events by men and 17 by women. There were a total number of 1273 participating athletes from 124 countries.-Men's events:-Women's events:...
to compete in triple jump
Triple jump
The triple jump is a track and field sport, similar to the long jump, but involving a “hop, bound and jump” routine, whereby the competitor runs down the track and performs a hop, a bound and then a jump into the sand pit.The triple jump has its origins in the Ancient Olympics and has been a...
for the U.S. Olympic track and field team. With a leap of 17.26 m (56'-7.5"), he became the first American in 80 years to win a gold medal in this event. Al was also honored with the 1984 Jim Thorpe
Jim Thorpe
Jacobus Franciscus "Jim" Thorpe * Gerasimo and Whiteley. pg. 28 * americaslibrary.gov, accessed April 23, 2007. was an American athlete of mixed ancestry...
Award, given annually to the top American male in the field events.
On August 18, 2000, he joined the UCLA track and field staff to coach the Bruin
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
women's jumps. Along with his coaching activities, Joyner also directs the Flo Jo Community Empowerment Foundation and Final Kick Marketing Group. He is a member of the Arkansas State (1993), State of Illinois (1997), and State of Arkansas (1999) Sports Halls of Fame.
In February 2010, Sean James
Sean James
Sean James was an American football player was signed as rookie free agent with the Minnesota Vikings , Sean is the cousin of MLB players father and son Cecil Fielder and Prince Fielder....
and Joyner appeared in a Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood
Planned Parenthood Federation of America , commonly shortened to Planned Parenthood, is the U.S. affiliate of the International Planned Parenthood Federation and one of its larger members. PPFA is a non-profit organization providing reproductive health and maternal and child health services. The...
anticipatory response message to a controversial Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family
Focus on the Family is an American evangelical Christian tax-exempt non-profit organization founded in 1977 by psychologist James Dobson, and is based in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Focus on the Family is one of a number of evangelical parachurch organizations that rose to prominence in the 1980s...
Super Bowl commercial starring Tim Tebow
Tim Tebow
Timothy Richard "Tim" Tebow is an American football player who is currently the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos of the National Football League . He was drafted by the Broncos as the 25th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft...
and his mother celebrating his mother's choice to bring her son to full term in spite of a life threatening illness.