Florence Griffith Joyner

Hello! My name is Florence Griffith Joyner, but you can call me Flo-Jo. I was born on December 21st, 1959, in a big city called Los Angeles, California. I grew up in a big family with ten brothers and sisters! Even when I was a little girl, I knew I was born to run. I loved feeling the wind rush past me as I ran as fast as I could. To practice getting even faster, I would sometimes chase speedy jackrabbits in the desert.

When I got to high school, I joined the track team and soon started winning races. I was so excited! After high school, I went to college to keep running, but I had to take a break for a little while. I got a job to help my family, but I never gave up on my dream of being a great runner. I soon came back to running and started training with a wonderful coach named Bob Kersee. Besides running, I also loved fashion and art. I started designing my own running outfits. They were bright, colorful, and had one leg covered and one leg bare! I also grew my fingernails long and painted them with fun designs. It was my way of showing the world who I was.

All my hard work started to pay off. In 1984, I went to my first Olympic Games and won a silver medal. I was very proud, but I knew I could be even faster. My biggest year was 1988. At the Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea, I felt like I was flying! I won three gold medals and another silver medal. That year, I also set new world records for the 100-meter and 200-meter races. People were amazed! They called me the 'fastest woman in the world.' And guess what? My records are so fast that no one has been able to beat them, even today!

After the Olympics, I decided it was time to retire from racing. I started designing clothes, and I even designed the uniforms for a basketball team. I also loved working with children to help them follow their dreams. I lived a very full and exciting life. I lived to be 38 years old. Today, people remember me for my speed, my flashy style, and my big smile. I hope my story shows you that it's wonderful to be strong and fast, but it's just as important to be yourself and add your own sparkle to the world.