Marie-Josée Le Jour

Biography

Marie-Josée Le Jour only went to the try outs for her high school track and field team because whoever qualified would get to miss a day of school to compete at a regional meet. In her first discus competition, she won the bronze medal. Recruited by coach Jacques Chapdelaine, she qualified for the Jeux du Quebec and then the 1994 Canadian Youth Championships where she won the national U15 title. She was suddenly hooked on discus. While attending the University of Arkansas, she was an NCAA All-American and First Team Academic All-American. She was also the 2001 MVP of the SEC. In 2014 she set a world record in the W35 throws pentathlon, breaking a mark that had stood since 2001 for combined score in hammer throw, shot put, discus, javelin and weight throw.

PERSONAL

Getting into the Sport: Introduced to track and field by her father who dragged her and her sister to road races, running the one-mile “fun run” that she didn’t think was all that fun… Picked up discus in high school when her school needed a team to compete at a regional meet and she was put in the event to fill a spot after qualifying in middle distance running… Outside Interests: Bachelor of Science at University of Wyoming in 2000…Master of Science (Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics) at University of Arkansas in 2002…MBA from University of Arkansas in 2005… Also did two years of Medicine at McGill University but discontinued to focus on her athletic career…