Florence Griffith Joyner

Florence Griffith Joyner was a star of track and field. She was born in Los Angeles, California on December 21, 1959. She  lived with her father in the Mojave Desert. To amuse herself she would chase Jackrabbits, which are one of the fastest animals on earth.

At the age of seven her sprint training with the Jackrabbit paid off when she won the Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation Competition in Los Angeles. Florence went to Jordan High School in Los Angeles where she set school records in the sprint and long jump. After graduation in 1978 she enrolled in she went to the California State University.  She later transferred to UCLA. Because of her impressive performance at U.C.L.A she was invited to the United States Olympic Trials in 1980. She didn't make the team. She worked even harder and in 1984 she made the team. She married Al Joyner, a 1984 Olympic medallist, who became her workout partner and supervisor. Together they worked hard for the 1998 Olympics in Seoul, South Korea where Florence once again proved her skill by winning three gold medals. She caught the attention of the world with her long finger nails and flashy running clothes. She was called "Flo Jo," short for "Fluorescent Jo."

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