Florence Griffith Joyner dead

LOS ANGELES, Sept 21: Florence Griffith Joyner, the American triple gold medalist at the 1988 Olympics, who captivated the world with her...

LOS ANGELES, Sept 21: Florence Griffith Joyner, the American triple gold medalist at the 1988 Olympics, who captivated the world with her meteoric speed and flamboyant style, died on Monday of an apparent heart siezure. She was 38.

Griffith Joyner was the wife of 1984 Olympic triple-jump gold medalist Al Joyner and sister-in-law of Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the six time Olympic medalist and world heptathlon record-holder.

Griffith Joyner had suffered a heart seizure two years ago on a flight to St. Louis.In Monte Carlo, the IAAF, track8217;s international federation, said Griffith Joyner 8220;left an imprint on athletics and sprinting, even if for the past few years she had distanced herself from athletics.

Ten years ago this week, Griffith Joyner turned the women8217;s sprints at Seoul Olympics into her personal showcase.Griffith Joyner still holds world records in the 100 and 200 metre dashes. She set the 100 mark of 10.49 seconds at quarterfinals of the 1988 Olympics trials at Indianapolis, and since then, no onehas even clocked 10.60. At Seoul, she won the gold medal in a wind-aided 10.54.

She then smashed the world 200 record in the Olympic final, clocking 21.34. Marion Jones, with a 21.62 at the World Cup is South Africa earlier this month, is the only other women to run the 200 in under 21.70.

She also won a gold medal in the 400 relay and just missed a fourth gold medal when the US team finished second in the 1,600 relay, which Griffith Joyner anchored.

Not only did 8220;FloJo8221; Dazzle fans with her stunning speed, she caught their attention with her colourful bodysuits and her 6-inch decorated fingernails.She also displayed a muscular physique, which promoted talk of steroid use. Griffith Joyner insisted she never used performance enhancers and she never failed a drug test.

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At the 1988 trials, where she ran the three fastest 100-meter times ever by a woman and set the American record in the 200, she also set standards in track fashion.

One eye-catching outfit was a purple bodysuit with a turquoise bikinibrief over it, but with nothing on her left leg, a design she referred to as a 8220;one-legger.8221;

At the Olympics, she painted three of ther fingernails red, white and blue, and she painted a fourth gold to signify her goal.At the 1987 World Championships in Rome, she caused a sensation by running the first two rounds in a skintight suit similar to a speedskater8217;s togs.

FACTFILE

Name: Delorez Florence Griffith, later Griffith-Joyner after marriage to 1984 Olympic triple jump champion Al Joyner.
Born: 21 December 1959. Grew up in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Watts and began running at age of seven with Sugar Ray Robinson Youth Foundation. Worked as a bank teller until she was spotted by sprint coach Bob Kersee who helped her get funding to study degree in business and psychology at UCLA.
1983: Came to world attention when she placed fourth in 200 metres at world championships.
1984: silver medal in 200 metres at LA Olympics, running with famous six-inchpainted fingernails.
1986: Went back to working in a bank and as a beautician but returned to serious training in 1987.
1987: Finished second in world championship 200 metres.
1988: Smashed the 100 metres world record in a quarter-final for the US Trials, clocking a time of 10.49 seconds. The next day won the final in 10.61. Acquired the nickname FloJo. In opening round of Olympic 100 metres, she set an Olympic record of 10.88 seconds. She won the final in 10.54. She also set a world record in the 200 metres of 21.34. Both the 100 and 200 metres records still stand. Went on to win three golds 100 metres, 200 and 4215;100 relay and one silver.
Voted US Olympic committee8217;s sportswoman of the year.
February 25, 1989: Announced retirement.
Sept 21, 1998: Died at home in Laguna Beach, California of an apparent heart seizure.