Florence Griffith Joyner

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Florence Griffith Joyner
Griffith Joyner in 1988
Co-chair of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports
In office
1993–1998
Serving with Tom McMillen[1]
PresidentBill Clinton
Preceded byArnold Schwarzenegger (as chairman)
Succeeded byLee Haney (as chair)
Personal details
Born
Florence Delorez Griffith

(1959-12-21)December 21, 1959[2]
Los Angeles, California, U.S.[2]
DiedSeptember 21, 1998(1998-09-21) (aged 38)[2]
Mission Viejo, California, U.S.[2]
Resting placeEl Toro Memorial Park, Lake Forest, California, U.S.
Sports career
Personal information
Nickname(s)Flo-Jo[2]
National teamUnited States
Height5 ft 7 in (170 cm)[2]
Weight126 lb (57 kg)[2]
Event(s)100 meters, 200 meters
ClubTiger World Class Athletic Club
West Coast Athletic Club
Retired1988
Sports achievements and titles
Personal best(s)100m: 10.49 w WR
200m: 21.34 WR
400m: 50.89
4 × 100m: 41.55
4 × 400m: 3:15.51 AR
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul 100 m
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul 200 m
Gold medal – first place 1988 Seoul 4×100 m
Silver medal – second place 1984 Los Angeles 200 m
Silver medal – second place 1988 Seoul 4×400 m
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 1987 Rome 4×100 m
Silver medal – second place 1987 Rome 200 m

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[change | change source]

  1. Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (August 24, 2021). "History of the Council". health.gov. Department of Health and Human Services. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Florence Griffith Joyner". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on April 17, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2020.