Florence Griffith Joyner

Track & Field - Florence Griffith Joyner left an indelible mark on the sport of track and field. Over her Olympic career she won five Olympic medals, three gold and two silver. She set and still holds the world records in the 100m and 200m. Griffith Joyner, affectionately known as Flo-Jo will also be remembered for her unique style and fashion on the track. Flo-Jo began her Olympic quest at the 1984 Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Calif., winning the silver medal in the 200m. She owned the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, though, setting world records that still stand today in the 100m and the 200m. She was also a member of the gold medal winning U.S. 4x100m relay team and the silver medal winning 4x200m relay team. Flo-Jo's dominance in the sprints was truly amazing when you consider that she set the current world record in the 100m (10.49 seconds) at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials and her world record in the final of the 200m at the 1988 Olympic Games of 21.34 seconds has not yet been threatened. Only Marion Jones has broken the 21.70 second mark since that time. It is easy to see why the Associated Press named Griffith Joyner their Athlete of the Year in 1988. She also captured the Sullivan Award that year. Florence Griffith-Joyner passed away in September 1998.