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Which sports did Jackie Joyner-Kersee play before focusing on the heptathlon?
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Jackie Joyner-Kersee
American athlete Jackie Joyner-Kersee throwing the javelin during the heptathlon at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul.
Before focusing on the heptathlon, Jackie Joyner-Kersee participated in several sports. In high school, she competed in volleyball, basketball, and track and field. She also excelled in the long jump, setting an Illinois high school record. At the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), she initially focused on basketball and the long jump.1