For more than a decade, the sports world has revered Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the most famous female athlete of our time. Her accomplishments—from winning a scholarship to UCLA to participating in every Summer Olympics since 1984 to displaying constant grace in victory and defeat—are nothing short of remarkable.

At age 36, Joyner-Kersee is preparing to bid farewell to her sport. At this week's Goodwill Games the world record holder and two-time Olympic gold medalist in the heptathlon competed in her last multi-level event. Not surprisingly, she won. In this collection of images CNN/SI pays tribute to a champion.

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