Track and field athlete Florence Griffith Joyner (1959–1998), known to her fans as FloJo, won three Olympic gold medals for the 100-meter run, 200-meter run, and 4x100-meter relay and one silver for the 4x400-meter relay at the 1988 Seoul games. She set the world record for the 100 and 200 meters (10.49 seconds and 21.34 seconds)—records that still stood as of February 2020. She had previously won a silver medal for the 200-meter run at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic games. Born Delorez Florence Griffith (some sources say Florence Delorez Griffith) in Los Angeles, California, she trained with coach Bob Kersee at the University of Los Angeles, where she earned a bachelor of arts degree in 1983. She married Olympic gold medalist Al Joyner in 1987 and retired from the sport in 1989, although she attempted a comeback in 1996 but suffered a leg injury. After retirement, she established a foundation for underprivileged children and served as co-chair on the President's Council on Physical Fitness (1993–1995), becoming the first woman and the first African American to serve on that council. She was inducted into the National Track and Field Hall of Fame in 1995. She died unexpectedly in 1998 at age 38 from an epileptic seizure at her home in Mission Viejo, California.
