Florence "Flo-Jo" Joyner Memorial

Florence "Flo-Jo" Joyner Memorial. . , Born on December 21, 1959, to Robert Griffith and Florence Deloris Griffith, Florence Delorez Joyner accomplished more in her thirty-eight years on this earth than many people could achieve in one hundred., Known to millions as Flo-Jo, Florence Joyner captured the affection of the world with her athletic grace and beauty. Winning three gold medals and one silver medal at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea, Joyner electrified audiences with her speeds and brought glamour to track and field with her self-designed outfits and her trademark long and intricately painted fingernails. Her world record times in the 100 and 200 meter events caused her to be called World's Fastest Woman. Off the field, Joyner enjoys success as a businesswoman, author, clothing designer, and charity spokesperson; however, perhaps her greatest accomplishment was being mother to her daughter Mary Ruth., Joyner's achievements reflect the American Dream. A native of Los Angeles, California, who grew up in Watts, Joyner was the seventh of eleven children. Her mother, Florence Deloris Griffith, instilled the values of independence and individualism in all her children. These values and a pursuit of excellence, enabled Joyner to achieve success in both athletics and academics. Joyner studied psychology an earned NCAA All-American honors in the 200 and 400 meter events. in 1983, Joyner became a member of the U.S. team that participated in the first World Championship held in Helsinki, Finland, where she finished fourth in the 200 meter event., The turning point in Joyner's track career came in 1984, when she earned a silver medal in the 200 meter track event at the Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. Though Joyner considered it an honor to finish second, she set her sights on the next Olympic Games, intent on bringing home the gold. In the four intervening years, Joyner sharpened her competitive edge by winning the Champion's Crown in the 100 meter sprint at the 1985 Mobile Grand Prix an the gold (4x100 meter relay) and silver (200 meter event) medals at the 1987 World Championship., The year 1988 proved to be one of fruition for Florence Joyner. She became the first American woman to win four medals (three gold and one silver( in one Olympic year and was nicknamed the Queen of Seoul. In the wake of Joyner's outstanding performance at the 1988 Olympic Games, she received a number of honors, including both the Sullivan Award, given to the most outstanding American female or male athlete, and the Jesse Sportswoman of the year, the UPI sportswoman of the year, the Jesse Owens Outstanding Track and Field Athlete, and the Tass News Agency's Sports Personality of the year-and that was just 1988!, Additional honors from around the world recognized not only Joyner's athletic ability, but also her status as a role model. These awards included the Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Award, the People's Choice Award, the Positive Image Award from Women at Work, the Golden Camera Award from the German Television Industry, and the Distinguished Service Award from the United Negro College Fund., Joyner also championed community service, chaining the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports and establishing a non profit organization to help America's youth develop self-esteem, establish goals, and follow their dreams. In addition, she served as a spokesperson for the Project Eco-School (a resource center for environmental education), the American Cancer Society, the Multiple Sclerosis Foundation, and the Osteoporosis Business Coalition., Family life complemented Joyner's success in athletics, business, and community service. She married Olympic gold medalist Al Joyner in 1987, and together they established a home in Mission Viejo in 1989. Their daughter Mary Ruth was born in 1990; and the Joyners enjoyed watching her grow up and began to follow her own dreams. At age 38, Florence Joyner died; however, her dedication to her sport and her success in achieving the American Dream continue to inspire all who set goals, work steadily toward them, and are rewarded for their efforts with the ecstasy of victory.