Joetta Clark Diggs
Encyclopedia
Joetta Clark Diggs is an American
track and field
athlete specializing in the 800 metres
. She is the daughter of Joe Louis Clark
, the older sister of Hazel Clark Riley
and the sister-in-law of Jearl Miles-Clark
, who married Joe Clark, Jr., who is the coach to all three girls. Joetta is a four-time Olympian in the 800 metres, and made six trips to the finals of the Olympic Trials
over a span of 20 years. The three Clarks swept the 2000 Olympic Trials race with Joetta eeking out the final place by .01 seconds at the age of 37. She was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
in 2009.
Joetta graduated in 1980 from Columbia High School
in Maplewood, New Jersey
where she won the USA Junior Championship and made the Olympic Trials as a high schooler. Her 2:04.5 from that year was the NFHS National high school record for 28 years. She then went to the University of Tennessee
, where she won the 1982 AIAW 1,000 yard Indoor Championship (in Tennessee's last year of participation in the AIAW) and the 880 yards at the first two NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship
s in 1983 and 1984. She repeated at the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
s winning the 800 metres in 1983 and 1984. She had a great deal of success indoors, winning 7 titles at the Millrose Games
, 7 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
and two World Championship
bronze medals in 1993
and 1997
. Outdoors she won 5 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
including the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Trials.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
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...
athlete specializing in the 800 metres
800 metres
The 800 meter race is a common track running event. It is the shortest common middle distance track event. The 800 meter is run over two laps of the track and has always been an Olympic event. During indoor track season the event is usually run on a 200 meter track, therefore requiring four laps...
. She is the daughter of Joe Louis Clark
Joe Louis Clark
Joe Louis Clark is the former principal of Eastside High School in Paterson, one of New Jersey's toughest inner city schools. He is also the subject of the 1989 film Lean on Me, starring Morgan Freeman. Clark gained public attention in the 1980s for his unconventional and controversial...
, the older sister of Hazel Clark Riley
Hazel Clark
Hazel Mae "Peachy" Clark-Riley , née Hazel Mae Clark, is an American middle-distance runner who specializes in the 800 meters middle distance race. Clark was a member of the U.S. Olympic team in 2000, 2004 and 2008. She has won six national titles and two USA Olympic trials during her...
and the sister-in-law of Jearl Miles-Clark
Jearl Miles-Clark
Jearl Atawa Miles Clark is an American athlete who competed mainly in the 400 and 800 meters.She holds the American record in the women's 800m at 1:56.40....
, who married Joe Clark, Jr., who is the coach to all three girls. Joetta is a four-time Olympian in the 800 metres, and made six trips to the finals of the Olympic Trials
United States Olympic Trials (track and field)
The United States Olympic Trials for the sport of Track and Field is the quadrennial meet to select the United States representatives at the Olympic Games. Since 1992, the meet has also served as the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Because of the depth of competition in some events,...
over a span of 20 years. The three Clarks swept the 2000 Olympic Trials race with Joetta eeking out the final place by .01 seconds at the age of 37. She was elected to the National Track and Field Hall of Fame
National Track and Field Hall of Fame
The National Track and Field Hall of Fame located within the Armory Foundation at 216 Fort Washington Avenue, between 168th and 169th Streets, in Washington Heights, in the New York City borough of Manhattan, is a museum operated by The Armory Foundation in conjunction with USA Track & Field...
in 2009.
Joetta graduated in 1980 from Columbia High School
Columbia High School (New Jersey)
Columbia High School is a four-year comprehensive regional public high school located at 17 Parker Avenue in Maplewood, New Jersey, which serves students in grades nine through twelve within the South Orange-Maplewood School District, which includes Maplewood and South Orange Townships...
in Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood, New Jersey
Maplewood is a township in Essex County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the township population was 23,867.-History:...
where she won the USA Junior Championship and made the Olympic Trials as a high schooler. Her 2:04.5 from that year was the NFHS National high school record for 28 years. She then went to the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
, where she won the 1982 AIAW 1,000 yard Indoor Championship (in Tennessee's last year of participation in the AIAW) and the 880 yards at the first two NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA team champions for Women's Indoor Track and Field-See also:*AIAW Intercollegiate Women's Indoor Track and Field Champions*NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Men's Indoor Track and Field Championship...
s in 1983 and 1984. She repeated at the NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship
NCAA team champions for Women's Outdoor Track and Field-By school:-See also:*AIAW Intercollegiate Women's Outdoor Track and Field Champions*NCAA Women's Indoor Track and Field Championship*NCAA Men's Outdoor Track and Field Championship...
s winning the 800 metres in 1983 and 1984. She had a great deal of success indoors, winning 7 titles at the Millrose Games
Millrose Games
The Millrose Games is an annual indoor athletics meet held on the first Friday in February in New York City. They will be held at the Armory in Washington Heights in 2012, after having taken place in Madison Square Garden from 1914 to 2011...
, 7 USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
USA Indoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Indoor Track and Field Championships is an annual indoor track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
and two World Championship
IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics
The International Association of Athletics Federations World Indoor Championships were inaugurated as the World Indoor Games in 1985 in Paris, France and were subsequently renamed in 1987 as they are known today.-History:...
bronze medals in 1993
1993 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 4th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Skydome in Toronto, Canada from March 12 to March 14, 1993. It was the last Indoor Championships to feature the 5,000 and 3,000 metres race walk events. In addition, it was the first Indoor Championships to include heptathlon and...
and 1997
1997 IAAF World Indoor Championships
The 6th IAAF World Indoor Championships in Athletics were held at the Palais Omnisports de Paris-Bercy in Paris, France from March 7 to March 9, 1997. It was the first athletic championships to introduce women's pole vault...
. Outdoors she won 5 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships
The USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships is an annual track and field competition organized by USA Track & Field, which serves as the American national championships for the sport...
including the 1988 and 1992 Olympic Trials.