Valerie Brisco-Hooks

Though much was written about her failure to win lucrative endorsements following the 1984 Olympics, Brisco-Hooks repeatedly told reporters that she was not upset that her athletic success did not translate financially. Free from the time constraints of making commercials, in 1985 Brisco-Hooks used her new-found celebrity to lecture to Los Angeles-area school children about the dangers of drug abuse.

Brisco-Hooks continued to compete on the international track and field scene setting a world indoor record in 400-yard run in 1985, and winning a world outdoor title in 400-meter run in 1986. She finished her accolade-heavy career in the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Brisco-Hooks ran a leg on the United States women's 4×400-meter relay that finished second to the Soviet team and set an American record in the process. The performance earned her her first Olympic silver medal and fourth Olympic medal of her career.