The iconic Florence Griffith Joyner, also known as FloJo, was one of the fastest runners American track and field has ever seen. She set world records in 1988 in both the 100- and 200-meter races and earned three gold medals in the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games. She was known not only for her stamina and speed, but also her flamboyant and eclectic style. She sported long, acrylic nails, let her long hair fly in the wind, and wore bold makeup with her colorful one-legged tracksuits, making her a joy to watch on the track.
Griffith Joyner was born and raised in California and started running at age 7, chasing jackrabbits to increase her speed. She attended the California State University at Northridge, but had to drop out to support her family. While working as a bank teller, she was recruited by legendary sprint coach Bob Kersee, who found financial aid for her. She returned to college in 1980, this time at UCLA, where Kersee coached. That same year, she qualified for the 100-meter final at the trials for the 1980 Summer Olympics. She graduated three years later with a degree in psychology.
Griffith Joyner participated in her first Olympics games in Los Angeles in 1984, winning a silver medal in the 200-meter race. However, disappointed with her performance and unable to find financial support to focus solely on training, she went into semi-retirement and made a living as a bank teller and cosmetologist.
In 1987, Griffith Joyner came out of retirement and rededicated herself to her sport with a ferocious intensity. She developed a powerful strength training routine and changed her starting style. Her methods worked, taking her to victory at the Seoul Olympic games. Her
world records for the 100-meter and 200-meter have yet to be broken and, that same year, she received the James E. Sullivan Award as the top amateur athlete in the United States.
Griffith Joyner retired in 1989 and established a foundation for underprivileged children. From 1993 to 1995 she served as co-chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness, and in 1995 was inducted into the Track and Field Hall of Fame. She died unexpectedly in her sleep on September 21, 1998, the result of suffocation from a severe epileptic seizure.