Jackie takes the bow

8220;The tears were starting to come when I was walking onto the track prior to the 800,8221; she said. 8220;Fans were going, Jackie, Jackie,8217; it was a great feeling. Then it dawned on me. This is it. This is really it.8221;

Trailing fellow-American Dedee Nathan by two points with two events remaining, Joyner-Kersee took the lead with a 43.33 metre javelin toss and ran 2:17.61 in the concluding 800 metre to edge Nathan by 23 points.

8220;With me it was just digging deep and saying, Jackie go with them8217;. You have to bite down, dig deep and go for it,8221; she said.

8220;The high point and the low point was walking out on that track for the last time. I didn8217;t want to break down then. I knew Ihad to get through.

There were people out there who thought I would quit. I knew I could do this. I had to still keep plugging away,8221; she said.

Joyner-Kersee won with 6,502 points, far from her world-record 7,291. But when asked to name her greatest showing in the seven-event discipline, Joyner-Kersee said, 8220;definitely this is the one.8221;

Joyner-Kersee, 36, had not competed in a heptathlon since the 1996 Olympics after winning the 1988 and 1992 titles. But she hung on to win and go 4-for-4 in winning Goodwill heptathlons.

Joyner-Kersee thanked spectators for their cheers, saying they gave her strength to continue when her reserves were low.

The finish brought tears to the eyes of coach and husband Bobby Kersee, who buried his head in his hands after his wife crossed the finish line.

8220;Up until she crossed the finish line, I tried to be the coach. After she crossed the line, tears just came to my eyes. The emotion just hit me. I have always said the husband can8217;t show up until the meet isdone.8221;

Joyner-Kersee is not quite finished yet. She will compete in the long jump at a Grand Prix meet on Saturday near her hometown of east St. Louis, Illinois.

8220;I can8217;t believe it8217;s over,8221; Kersee said. 8220;I can8217;t believe the time went so quick.8221;