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FLORENCE GRIFFITH-JOYNER

FLORENCE

GRIFFITH-JOYNER

INSPIRATION IN SPANDEX

Timothy Mottram

lorence Griffith-Joyner blasted on make-up and huge hair set her in 1988. Her style was being copied
Finto the record books and the apart from the field, and after the throughout the State, with her
hearts of many Americans at Seoul starter’s pistol fired, they were the state-of-the-art hair and incredible
in 1988. An experienced runner only things that made her stand out. nails. She often wore them 6-inches
and silver medalist at Los Angeles The field was evenly spread from the long, and had them painted with the
four years earlier, “Flo-Jo” had outset, but at the 60 metre mark, stars and stripes, or with the heavily
been chewing around the edges of something happened. symbolic colour of gold.
superstardom for only a year. She accelerated like she was Her stated claim was that she
Not much was expected of harbouring a secret propane tank. wanted to devote her time to raising
her in the qualification rounds a Watching the race today, the viewer a family and pursuing acting. It is
few months before. On that day can see incredible grace linked to perhaps fashion, though, that best
in Indiana, she lined up in her awesome power. Her high-kicking represents her off the field. As
self-designed purple leotard and stride propelled her out of the crowd recently as 2016, Vogue featured an
summoned up the greatest race of and towards the finish line. As she article on her flamboyant running
her life. Her run of 10.49 seconds crossed it, with a time of 10.54, she suits. She would design them
in the 100 metres set a record that wore a huge smile and was handed herself, and they often featured
stands today, almost 30 years later. the American flag to wave. Later she a single cut-away leg and bright
She went to Seoul with said that “I wasn’t chasing the time, colours. During one meet, she
expectations that were somewhat I was chasing the win. A gold, that’s incorporated lace into the design.
dampened by a couple of indifferent the first for me at the Olympics and I Flo-Jo was consciously feminine at
runs in the interim. In England, she just thank God that it’s over.” a time when female track stars were
couldn’t beat 11 seconds. It seemed She won the gold in the 200 all about utilitarianism.
to some that the world record in the metres as well, destroying the world But this did not detract from her
qualifier was a freak. Indeed, even record, which she herself had set. running. She claimed that it helped
at the time, it was assumed that Following that, she took gold in the her to be more competitive, saying
something had gone wrong. There 4X100 relay. that “Dress good to look good. Look
was talk of a timing malfunction or a It seemed that track had its good to feel good. And feel good to
very favourable tail wind pushing her next superstar. What she did next run fast!”
into the record books. surprised everyone. In 1989, she Yet again, detractors saw her
It would not be the last time retired. retirement through the lens of
Griffith-Joyner’s accomplishments Griffith-Joyner had always been suspicion. Such had been her
were undermined and questioned. a dedicated athlete, but had a range improvement since 1987, and
At Seoul, she lined up ready to of other interests that she wanted the change in her physique, that
go one better and win the gold that to explore. Her box office was never whispers of drugs began. With the
had alluded her in 1984. Plastered- going to be any higher than it was introduction of mandatory testing

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