Jean Driscoll
Encyclopedia
Jean Driscoll is an American
wheelchair racer
. She won the women's wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon
eight times, more than any other female athlete in any division. Her wins in Boston included seven consecutive first place finishes from 1990 to 1996. Driscoll participated in four Summer Paralympic Games
, winning a total of five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals in events ranging from 200 meters to the marathon.
, Driscoll grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
. She began using a wheelchair in high school and became involved in a variety of wheelchair sports. She was recruited to play wheelchair basketball
at the University of Illinois, and while there she also joined the school's wheelchair track and field
team. She competed at her first Paralympics in 1988
, taking bronze in the 200 and 400 meter races, silver in the 4×100 meter relay, and gold in the 4×200 meter relay.
in Spokane, Washington
. Following this success, her coach Marty Morse convinced her to try a marathon
. Driscoll participated in the 1989 Chicago Marathon
and finished fast enough to qualify for the next year's Boston Marathon. At Morse's urging, she reluctantly agreed to race in Boston; at the time, she was not interested in becoming a regular marathoner and wished to continue racing shorter distances.
Driscoll went on to win the 1990 Boston Marathon, beginning a seven-year winning streak in that race. She set a world record at the 1991 race with a time of 1:42:42, and won her fifth Boston and broke the world record again in 1994, despite a bout of food poisoning days before the race and stiff competition from Australian Louise Sauvage
. With Driscoll's win in 1996, she became the first person to win seven consecutive Boston Marathons. Her streak ended the next year, when her wheelchair tire got caught in a trolley
track, causing her to crash and the tire to go flat; Sauvage went on to win the race. At the 1998 race, Driscoll was approaching the finish line in first place when Sauvage sprinted past, winning by half a wheel. Driscoll finished in second place behind Sauvage for a third time in 1999. In 2000, Driscoll won for the eighth and last time, giving her more wins at Boston than any other person.
At the 1992 Paralympics
, Driscoll won the gold medal in the 4×100 meter relay and competed in three other events—the 800, 1500, and 5000 metre races. Four years later at the Atlanta Games
, she competed in four events and medaled in all of them, taking gold in the 10000 metres and the marathon, silver in the 5000 metres, and bronze in the 1500 metres. She added three more medals to her career total at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics
, winning gold, silver, and bronze in the marathon, 1500 metres, and 5000 metres, respectively.
's annual fund raising race.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
wheelchair racer
Wheelchair racing
Wheelchair racing is the racing of wheelchairs in track and road races. Wheelchair racing is open to athletes with any qualifying type of disability, amputees, spinal cord injuries, cerebral palsy and partially sighted . Athletes are classified in accordance with the nature and severity of their...
. She won the women's wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon
Boston Marathon
The Boston Marathon is an annual marathon hosted by the U.S. city of Boston, Massachusetts, on Patriots' Day, the third Monday of April. Begun in 1897 and inspired by the success of the first modern-day marathon competition in the 1896 Summer Olympics, the Boston Marathon is the world's oldest...
eight times, more than any other female athlete in any division. Her wins in Boston included seven consecutive first place finishes from 1990 to 1996. Driscoll participated in four Summer Paralympic Games
Summer Paralympic Games
The Summer Paralympic Games or the Games of the Paralympiad, are an international multi-sport event, where athletes with physical disabilities compete. This includes athletes with mobility disabilities, amputations, blindness, and Cerebral Palsy. The Paralympic Games are held every four years,...
, winning a total of five gold, three silver, and four bronze medals in events ranging from 200 meters to the marathon.
Childhood
Born with spina bifidaSpina bifida
Spina bifida is a developmental congenital disorder caused by the incomplete closing of the embryonic neural tube. Some vertebrae overlying the spinal cord are not fully formed and remain unfused and open. If the opening is large enough, this allows a portion of the spinal cord to protrude through...
, Driscoll grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Milwaukee is the largest city in the U.S. state of Wisconsin, the 28th most populous city in the United States and 39th most populous region in the United States. It is the county seat of Milwaukee County and is located on the southwestern shore of Lake Michigan. According to 2010 census data, the...
. She began using a wheelchair in high school and became involved in a variety of wheelchair sports. She was recruited to play wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball
Wheelchair basketball is basketball played by people in wheelchairs and is considered one of the major disabled sports practiced. The International Wheelchair Basketball Federation is the governing body for this sport. It is recognized by the International Paralympic Committee as the sole...
at the University of Illinois, and while there she also joined the school's wheelchair track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
team. She competed at her first Paralympics in 1988
1988 Summer Paralympics
The 1988 Summer Paralympics were the first Paralympics in 24 years that take place in the same city as the Olympic Games. They took place in Seoul, South Korea. This was the first time the term "Paralympic" came into official use.- Sports :...
, taking bronze in the 200 and 400 meter races, silver in the 4×100 meter relay, and gold in the 4×200 meter relay.
Career
Her first major win in racing came in 1989, when she beat Candace Cable at the Lilac Bloomsday 12kLilac Bloomsday Run
The Lilac Bloomsday Run, also known as Bloomsday, is an annual timed road race in Spokane, Washington, held on the first Sunday of every May since 1977. The course is 12 km long. The course starts in Downtown Spokane and heads northwest along the far west end of town, passes by Mukogowa Ft...
in Spokane, Washington
Spokane, Washington
Spokane is a city located in the Northwestern United States in the state of Washington. It is the largest city of Spokane County of which it is also the county seat, and the metropolitan center of the Inland Northwest region...
. Following this success, her coach Marty Morse convinced her to try a marathon
Marathon
The marathon is a long-distance running event with an official distance of 42.195 kilometres , that is usually run as a road race...
. Driscoll participated in the 1989 Chicago Marathon
Chicago Marathon
The Bank of America Chicago Marathon is a major marathon held yearly in Chicago in Cook County, Illinois, United States. Alongside the Boston, New York, London and Berlin Marathons, it is one of the five World Marathon Majors. Thus, it is also an IAAF Gold Label race...
and finished fast enough to qualify for the next year's Boston Marathon. At Morse's urging, she reluctantly agreed to race in Boston; at the time, she was not interested in becoming a regular marathoner and wished to continue racing shorter distances.
Driscoll went on to win the 1990 Boston Marathon, beginning a seven-year winning streak in that race. She set a world record at the 1991 race with a time of 1:42:42, and won her fifth Boston and broke the world record again in 1994, despite a bout of food poisoning days before the race and stiff competition from Australian Louise Sauvage
Louise Sauvage
Alix Louise Sauvage OAM is an Australian paralympic wheelchair racer.Sauvage is often regarded as the most renowned disabled sportswoman in Australia. She won two gold medals and a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Paralympic games in front of a home crowd...
. With Driscoll's win in 1996, she became the first person to win seven consecutive Boston Marathons. Her streak ended the next year, when her wheelchair tire got caught in a trolley
Tram
A tram is a passenger rail vehicle which runs on tracks along public urban streets and also sometimes on separate rights of way. It may also run between cities and/or towns , and/or partially grade separated even in the cities...
track, causing her to crash and the tire to go flat; Sauvage went on to win the race. At the 1998 race, Driscoll was approaching the finish line in first place when Sauvage sprinted past, winning by half a wheel. Driscoll finished in second place behind Sauvage for a third time in 1999. In 2000, Driscoll won for the eighth and last time, giving her more wins at Boston than any other person.
At the 1992 Paralympics
1992 Summer Paralympics
The 1992 Summer Paralympics were the ninth Paralympic Games to be held. They were held in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain.- Sports :The games consisted of 487 events spread over fifteen sports. Powerlifting and weightlifting were considered to be a single sport...
, Driscoll won the gold medal in the 4×100 meter relay and competed in three other events—the 800, 1500, and 5000 metre races. Four years later at the Atlanta Games
1996 Summer Paralympics
The 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta, USA were held from 16 August to 25 August. It was the first Paralympics to get mass media sponsorship, and had a budget of USD $81 million....
, she competed in four events and medaled in all of them, taking gold in the 10000 metres and the marathon, silver in the 5000 metres, and bronze in the 1500 metres. She added three more medals to her career total at the 2000 Sydney Paralympics
2000 Summer Paralympics
The 2000 Paralympic Games were held in Sydney, Australia, from 18 October to 29 October. The eleventh Summer Paralympic Games, an estimated 3800 athletes took part in the Sydney programme. They commenced with the opening ceremony on 18 October 2000...
, winning gold, silver, and bronze in the marathon, 1500 metres, and 5000 metres, respectively.
Philanthropy
Driscoll has supported programing for the disabled by racing in College ChurchCollege Church
College Church is an independent church in Wheaton, Illinois with "strong historic ties" to Wheaton College. The church is led by a number of pastors, directors, and a board of elders. Dr. Josh Moody currently holds the position of Senior Pastor of College Church...
's annual fund raising race.