Valerie Brisco-Hooks
Valerie Brisco-Hooks is a former American track star and Olympic champion. Born on July 6, 1960, in Greenwood, Mississippi, she made history at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics by winning gold in both the 200 meters and the 400 meters, and she also won gold in the 4x400 meter relay. This made her the first Olympian to win gold in both the 200m and 400m at a single Games. She added a silver medal in the 4x400 at the 1988 Seoul Games, and earlier won Pan American golds in the 4x100 (1979) and the 4x400 (1987).
Her 400m time of 48.83 seconds at the 1984 Olympics was an Olympic record and remains one of the fastest times ever. Brisco-Hooks competed for California State University, Northridge, and was a standout in college track. She later coached with Bob Kersee and worked at West Los Angeles College.
In addition to her athletic career, Brisco-Hooks appeared as herself on The Cosby Show and ran a relay at the Penn Relays. She married Alvin Hooks in 1981, and their son, Alvin Hooks Jr., was born in 1982. She was inducted into the U.S. National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1995.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 21:22 (CET).