Profession: Sprinter
Biography: Florence Griffith Joyner, commonly known as Flo-Jo, was an American track and field athlete who still holds the world records for the 100 meters and 200 meters sprints. This is the longest-held of any such record, possibly due to an unrecorded tailwind on the day.
She became an international sensation at the 1988 Seoul Olympics, where she won three gold medals and set two world records. Throughout her athletic career, she was known for her flashy style, including colorful, one-legged uniforms and elaborately decorated fingernails.
Griffith Joyner's sudden retirement in 1989 led to speculation that she might have been using performance-enhancing drug, but she never failed a drug test and none of the extensive scrutiny surrounding her ever turned up anything else.
She remained in the public eye until 1998, when she passed away unexpectedly in her sleep due to an epileptic seizure.
Born: December 21, 1959
Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, USA
Generation: Baby Boomer
Chinese Zodiac: Pig
Star Sign: Sagittarius
Died: September 21, 1998 (aged 38)
Cause of Death: An epileptic seizure
Historical Events
- 1988-07-17 Florence Griffith Joyner of USA sets 100m woman's record (10.49)
- 1988-09-25 American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins women's 100m in Olympic record 10.54; beats teammate Evelyn Ashford by 0.29; 1st leg of sprint double at Seoul Games
- 1988-09-29 American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner sets women's 200m world record 21.34; completes sprint double at the Seoul Olympics
- 1988-10-01 Flamboyant American sprinter Florence Griffith Joyner wins her third gold medal of the Seoul Olympics anchoring the victorious US 4 x 100m relay team
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