18 Facts About Jean Driscoll

Jean Driscoll was born on November 18,1966 and is an American wheelchair racer.

Jean Driscoll won the women's wheelchair division of the Boston Marathon eight times, more than any other female athlete in any division.

In 1966, born with spina bifida, Jean Driscoll grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jean Driscoll began using a wheelchair in high school and became involved in a variety of wheelchair sports.

Jean Driscoll was recruited to play wheelchair basketball at the University of Illinois, and while there she joined the school's wheelchair track and field team.

Jean Driscoll participated in the 1989 Chicago Marathon and finished fast enough to qualify for the next year's Boston Marathon.

Jean Driscoll went on to win the 1990 Boston Marathon in a world best time of 1:43:17, beginning a seven-year winning streak in that race.

Jean Driscoll 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 a fifth time in 1994, despite a bout of food poisoning days before the race and stiff competition from Australian Louise Sauvage.

Jean Driscoll's streak ended the next year, when her the wheel on her racing chair 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, Jean Driscoll was approaching the finish line in first place when Sauvage sprinted past, winning by half a wheel.

Jean Driscoll finished in second place behind Sauvage for a third time in 1999.

In 2000, Jean Driscoll won for the eighth and last time, giving her more wins at Boston than any other person.

Jean Driscoll 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.

On September 23,2003, Royal Caribbean International announced that Jean Driscoll would serve as godmother to the line's then newest ship, Mariner of the Seas, entrusted with blessing the ship before her maiden voyage in November 2003.

Jean Driscoll officially gave the ship its name during ceremonies in Port Canaveral, Florida, on Nov 14,2003.

Jean Driscoll has shown by example that physical disabilities need not limit life experiences, and we are proud to have her spirit lead a ship that was designed to ensure all guests can participate fully in the excitement of a cruise experience.

Jean Driscoll became a motivational speaker and international advocate for those with disabilities.

Jean Driscoll has supported programming for athletes with disabilities by traveling to Ghana, West Africa several times and helping develop the first Paralympic athletes in history from that country.