Griffith Joyner won her first individual Olympic gold medal, clocking a wind-aided 10.54 seconds in the women's 100m final in Seoul.
On September 26, 1988, at the Seoul Olympic Games, Florence Griffith Joyner captured her first individual Olympic gold medal in the women's 100 meters, crossing the finish line in 10.54 seconds. Though wind-aided and therefore not eligible as a record for record-keeping purposes under IAAF rules, the time set a new Olympic record and confirmed her status as the fastest woman on the planet following her sensational 10.49 run at the U.S. Trials two months earlier.
The victory was a career-defining moment, coming after Griffith Joyner had earned only a silver medal in the 200m at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Her transformation between the two Games—both physically and in performance—was remarkable, fueled by an intensified training regimen under coach Bob Kersee and husband Al Joyner.
Beyond the raw athletic achievement, the race became an iconic media moment due to her striking self-designed racing outfits and decorated nails, which drew global attention to women's track and field and helped popularize the sport among new audiences. Her flamboyant style challenged conventional expectations for female athletes and made her an instantly recognizable global icon.
This gold medal was the first of four medals she would win at the Seoul Games, kickstarting the most dominant Olympic performance by an American woman sprinter to that point in history.