Florence Griffith Joyner

Florence Delorez Griffith-Joyner, also known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field athlete who gained fame for her incredible speed. She set world records in 1988 for the 100m and 200m races. During the late 1980s, she became well-known not only for her athletic achievements but also for her unique personal style. 

Griffith Joyner grew up in California and showed athletic talent from a young age, participating in track meets as a child. She continued competing in track and field while attending California State University, Northridge and later the University of California, Los Angeles. She qualified for the 1980 Olympics in the 100m event, but was unable to compete due to the U.S. boycott. She made her Olympic debut in 1984, winning a silver medal in the 200m race at the Los Angeles Olympics. At the 1988 U.S. Olympic trials, Griffith set a new world record in the 100m sprint and went on to win three gold medals at the 1988 Olympics. Surprisingly, she retired from athletics in February 1989. Despite leaving the world of sports, she remained a prominent figure in popular culture.

References

Category:1959 births
Category:1998 deaths
Category:American sprinters
Category:African-American track and field athletes
Category:Olympic gold medalists for the United States
Category:Medalists at the 1988 Summer Olympics
Category:Medalists at the 1984 Summer Olympics
Category:Olympic sprinters