Remembering Florence Griffith-Joyner, The Fastest Woman In the World

At the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Griffith-Joyner brought home two silver medals, announcing to the world that she was coming and that 1988 would belong to her.

Though she and the U.S. won gold in the 4x100m relay, Flo-Jo took home silver in the 200m, which led to some questions about her gold medal chances in the 1988 Olympics. However, she was clearly just staying consistent and peaking at the right time.

While most sprinters keep things as simple as possible on the track, Flo-Jo was known for her glorious nails and long, flowing locks. She also took plain running attire and turned it into colorful, gorgeous one-legged pieces that announced her confidence to the world.

Usually one or two athletes become the face of the Olympics. There’s no question that in 1988 one of those stars was Griffith-Joyner. Her three gold medals in the 100m, 200m and 4x100m, plus a silver in the 4x400m made her a household name.

Her world records in the 100m and 200m still stand. In Paris, Julien Alfred won the 100 with a time of 10.72, which shows today’s sprinters are getting closer to Flo-Jo’s 10.49. Meanwhile, it feels like her 21.34 record in the 200 is going to be harder to beat. Gabby Thomas won gold in Paris with a 21.83.

Following her phenomenal performance in Seoul, Flo-Jo became one of the most famous athletes in the world. She was in commercials, appeared on talk shows and even had a doll. She reached a level of fame that Black women athletes didn’t achieve back then. Those heights were reserved for men.

Shortly after her 1988 Olympics success, Flo-Jo guest starred on an episode of “227,” with Sandra hilariously dubbing her “the second fastest woman in the world.”

We’re gonna need to hit Ebay and see if we can find a mint condition Flo-Jo doll with nail decals, because this looks super cool.

In case you’re not familiar, “Santa Barbara” was a stylish soap opera that aired on NBC from 1984 to 1993. It was known as being the soap that had fun with the overdramatic aspects of the genre. In 1992, Florence guest starred as famous photographer Terry Holloway, a fashionable role that seemed tailor made for her.

Flo-Jo was planning a comeback for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, as she wanted to conquer the 400m, the last event on her list. We’ll never know if she would’ve dominated that race too, because tendinitis put an end to her return.

This final appearance on “Hollywood Squares” is so bittersweet, as it once again showcases her beauty, elegance and undeniable star presence.

There are certain celebrities that when they pass away, we always remember where we were when we heard the news. For Black folks, Florence Griffith-Joyner is one of those people. She transcended sports and inspired a generation of girls to be themselves as they reach for greatness.