The sprinter known as FloJo was so associated with moving at a high rate of speed that–as The New York Times astutely observed–even her nickname was fast. Florence Griffith Joyner’s unmistakable flair and style helped win her fans and set her apart from other track and field athletes. But it was her jaw-dropping achievements on the track that made her a legend. She set records in the 100 meter and 200 meter races, both in 1988, that stand as best in the world to this day. She captured a total of five Olympic medals (three gold and two silver) at the ‘84 and ‘88 Games. The Watts native began her college education at Cal State-Northridge but withdrew to help support her family by working as a bank teller. When her Northridge coach, Bob Kersee, became the coach at UCLA, FloJo soon followed. The rest is track and field history.