Florence Griffith wins Grand Prix Race in 1985!

[phaethon1988]

I would think Usain Bolt's feats in the 100m would be a testament as to the redefinition that can potentially take place in the women's 100m dash as well, and I see that redefinition happening before our very own eyes. I can see Shelly Ann, Kerron, and Carmelita taking the 100m to a place we thought only Flojo could go......

[mugen45]

Scientists have proven that her record time of 10.49 is possible without the use of drugs to enhance performance. Flo Jo was always fast, she just never had the proper starts if you watch her old races. She studied Carl Lewis and Ben Johnson and learned from how they start out of the blocks. And like CHEETAH69, she had a relentless work ethic.

R.I.P Flo Jo, those 2 records probably will never be broken. May God bless your soul.

[mohawk393939]

I think without drugs she was a top class athlete but with the drugs she was taking it catapaulted her into the stratosphere of global athletic performance. Hard to believe anyone will get within spitting distance of either record for 30 or more years.

[stevie586]

FloJo b4 and after 1988 ran the same, but, just with more strength and skill. Look at her start...just "good"...look at when she kicks it in...SAME PLACE. The difference in 1984 annd 1988 is in her strength and endurance. She sped up the start, and maintained simply continued to speed up, rather than ease off. In this race, she was well behind from the start; imagine what would have happened had she exploded out of the blocks? Can we say, she would have had her 1988 times? I think yes!

[aquerius23]

Baby Flo was NEVER on drugs! And anybody say shit about Ottey i would collapse your trachea!..WHAT??

[jrussell04]

actually Flo-Jo won the silver in 200m at both 84 Olympics and 87 Worlds, did she cheat, I know one thing is for sure her world record 10.49 was wind-aid. I remember watching that race before the men US trials 100m final and Lewis posted 9.78 but the wind was read at 5.2s,only about 20-30 mins after Flo-Jo race

[lhwood777]

im pretty sure she didint cheat but.. that 10.49 was deffinately wind aided..you could her the wind on the mic

[Dementedhighlander]

Lewis was also a cheat and was found guilty of offences before seoul 88. Unfortunetely everyone is obsessed with hanging high ben johnson that they have forgotten lewises incident. But to a lot of people 88 is probebly the most stained olympics in history.

[Trackdougstar]

Man, I dont know if she really was on something. I mean she had the fastest reaction in history( men or women). And she was said to be really lazy with her work out in 82-85, just some1 with really raw speed.

[Trackdougstar]

Im just saying that ppl need to really look out her works when she started working out with Bob Kerse and. Yall know who her sister in law is im guess year think she was on something.

[Trackdougstar]

Oh he all also coaches Allyson felix. If flo jo used somethig u know he knew about it or even gave it to her. so know u have to question his new athletes. My wish is for ppl to let her rest in peace. Her rec. are there and i enjoy looking at them.

[brooklynboi89]

yessss!

[CHEETAH69]

Drugs or no drugs, reaction time can't be inhanced by drugs. And as far as her work ethic, I heard that she worked extremely hard to get where she was. She worked at a bank and on lunch breaks and after work, she'd go to the track. I'm not saying she was clean, I'm just saying she worked hard.

[jpg102]

sure, all this fools dont have anything better to say that "its all drugs" while they have no clue about all the sacrifices elite athetes have to do. Sad but true...

[Dementedhighlander]

Well whats done is done rettaman is right the argument i personelly believe has run its course. I would have liked more substantial questions answered like why she quit so toot sweet like and voice changing during interviews etc but i'm done on this page also.

[meserat]

if she was on 'em then everyone was and they just worked better for her, but herdevelopment could easily have taken place in that four year period. the weight loss and the relaxation on her face would be direct refutation of criminal intent.

[Rettamann]

Ps. No one got the chance to catch her. she suddenly retired. It was only this year I believe she cheated too. 82-87 I believe her clean.That's me done now.

[Rettamann]

Mennea never got caught and he's addmitted to cheating.Her not getting caught means nothing. Anyway like Jib, I have no more to say either. I will never believe her results and there's no facts or words that will ever change what I have believed for 19 years.

[jibjobjab]

Best just to agree to disagree here I think. These disscussions go round in circles. U think she did it clean. I don't. Nothing more to be said.

[berry87]

History has shown us that atletes who used steriods and stimulants were founded out and blasted by the media. For Instance Ben Johnson(stanazol), Lindford Christe(nandrolone), Carl Lewis (Pseudoephedrine, ephedrine, and phenylpropanolamine

),The East Germans(the state sponsered drug programs, Manfred Ewald, and the Stasi files etc. In her case there were no failed drugs test, no files, nothing!

[conali]

christie jus was an idiot cah e was past it wen he used nandrolone dun no bout lewis the rest r jus waste

[Aarontlondon]

I'm sure what you're saying is good and intelligent, but why don't u just write it in English

[jibjobjab]

We all know that she never failed a test. But as mentioned by others nor did Tim Montgomery. he was getting away with it 4 years as was Dwain Chambers. They were only caught by being grassed up.If there hadn't been whistle blowing they would still be on the track now. The cheats are always one step ahead of the testers that's why they don't get caught!!

[berry87]

I understand where you are comming from however, this wasnt a case where there were tons of athletes in different sports who were caught and used one single supplier 'BALCO'. THere wasnt piles of paper eveidence of transactions,orders, calenders of drug use etc. There was only speculation based on her times(which she never ran over 10.61 without exsessive wind), and her improved physique.

[jebjoncula]

We all know she never failed a test. So what!! Tim Montgommery didn't either but he was guilty as fuck. He only got caught out By Kelli 'Whistle Blower' White bubbling him up.

If she'd gradually improved season by season I could believe she was naturally that good but she went from being consistently top 4 to the best in the world by a mile overnight virtually.

[berry87]

I would rather you express your opinions without cursing.Thanks:)

[Warmachine300]

it's not fact & it's not impossible. Judging from her pics in 84 2 88, she must've lost a stone,wit less weight 2 carry combined wit rigorous training It's credible. If she has been tested b4,which she was(ranging in the double figures)den I don't know why you'd dispute dat. I respect da drug officials. If dey say she was clean den she was clean. If your gonna go down dat road & disrespect da drug officials & say she was on drugs, den there's no proof 2 suggest da other athletes weren't either

[Rettamann]

Keep defending her Berry if u want but I agree with highlander and nothing will never change my opinion that to get from her silvers and bronzes etc she cheated to get to a record breaking gold medal winner. her retirment after Ben Johnson got caught convinced me of this.

[berry87]

It's not a matter of defending her, What happened to innocent until proven guilty? That goes for every athlete. Every great performances from flojo to Michael johnson to Asafa running the Wr 3x etc.I've always expressed that her 10.49 was very much wind aided, and should have never been ratified. She was tested alot, that dosnt mean she was 100% clean, however no one can prove otherwise. I like facts thats all. :)

[Dementedhighlander]

Its only die hard flojo fans that think she was clean. But when you look between the lines she wasint around long enough. Was the druggy police getting a bit close perhaps.

[berry87]

Track fans are always policing the sport, thats why we cant sit back and enjoy the performances. Why all great performances is drug realted , or get "look between the lines" response? What do you mean she wasnt around long enough?

[Warmachine300]

I like them both too. Gail Devers is my favourite though alng with Gwen Torrence. R.I.P Flo Jo

[chigaloo2]

Flojo was good but you know you would have thought a 3 times olympic champion could have added a us title, a world individual title, World cup,pan american to her collection i mean dont get me wrong i know she won the olympics which she timed to perfection but after olympics we had had our chips with her. Which makes the drug argument more tangible. I again go with merlene ottey for consistency over the years.

[berry87]

No one here disputes Merlene's consistency and her mark on the sport whatsoever! We all love her. However just because Florence didnt compete in the pan american games or world cup doesnt make her less of an athlete. She was satisfied with her college titles, her silver and gold from the 87 champs, and her olympic medals from 84 and 88. No one here disputes who you favor at all. I personally like them both! :)

[chigaloo2]

She got beat in the worlds 1987 by a sprinter called Silke Gladisch East Germany in both the sprints. But for consistincy you cant get any better than merlene ottey What merlene has achieved since 1980 is outstanding.

[berry87]

know she was beaten by Silke in the 200m and came in second. However she did not compete in both sprints! She competed in the 200m and the 4x100 relay the latter in which she won! I love merlene and Flojo :)

[rpaulv]

I think one of the contributing factors to Flojo's success in '88 was that she changed her running technique I guess right after the '87 Worlds.

[lacheyrulez]

Flo Jo never took drugs, Trying to find drugs on her would be trying to find pigs flying, clearly wont happen and clearly she neva took them.

[davidesz123]

she used drugs 100%

[berry87]

Why do you say this? :)

[lacheyrulez]

Hold on she never ran a hundred until 1988 oh well FLO JO ROCKS!!!!!!

[Warmachine300]

well that makes no sense considering this is a video fron 1985

[berry87]

Thanks for all your comments!:)

[jebjoncula]

No. She didn't want to get caught! Out of competition testing was apart to start and Johnson getting caught scared her. If she retired uncaught she was safe. If she carried on without drug use for fear of getting caught her times would go back to what they were pre 88 and that would have raised a few eyebrows as well.

[Warmachine300]

Well there's no proof. And ITS totally credible if you look at the time here 11 secs & her personal best in 85 was already under 11 sec. Personally,I think ALL athletes are on something so its a FAIR competition. Whats LESS credible is Ottey here in her peak at 25yrs scoring a 11:09 sec and then in 1997 when she's 37years old she does a 10:74? Do u think she was totally clean?. Johnson had a point when he said they were all on it cus Lewis & Christie both failed drug tests years later.

[jebjoncula]

Ps . Always thought it was strange she retired at the peak of her powers. Nothing to do with ben johnson getting caught was it?

[berry87]

I dont think it was strange at all. Most people want to go out on top. Besides, she stated years later that she did not see many athletes back then running well in the 30's, so she thought it was the best thing to do. She wanted to continue writing children's books and be come a model.

[jebjoncula]

No way. I found a clip of her from the 87 worlds in rome when she was a distant silver to Moller of east germany. She ran the same sort of times from 83-87 , then suddenly finds half a second improvement in one winters worth of training. that's Bollox and u know it. Get real and smell the coffee.

[Warmachine300]

There not that much difference in her size. I think the different hairstyles are confusing you? Totally credible.

[jebjoncula]

Look ay the size of her here compared to 88. Anyone still think she's clean?

If u do go get ur head tested!

[berry87]

She did gain muscle,thats true but u have to also keep in mind is that this was three years before Seoul. Between this time and 88 it was reported that she gained excess weight. Some of that may have turned into muscle. Besides She was In the Gym for hours 5-6 days a week! But her size in 88 is still smaller than people I've seen now a days. :)

[loaactnow]

wow listen to the comment at 1:53...what a errie forshawding of what was to come only 3 years later!

[zim83]

Well, great video to spot the huge difference in her body between 1985 and 1988.

[berry87]

She did gain muscle, thats true but u have to also keep in mind is that this was three years before Seoul. Between this time and 88 it was reported that she gained excess weight. Some of that may have turned into muscle. Besides she was athlete, I've seen bigger now a dayz.

[zim83]

Yeah, yeah, of course it was all the result of hard work, berry, of course. That "hard work" resulted in her having to shave every day but what the heck...Glad you're not part of the IAAF.

[berry87]

LOL. how do you know she had to shave every day? Were you buying her razors? lol

[berry87]

yes! she a;ways had a 200m start in short distances, bur catches them all at the end!

[lhwood777]

she has vicious come from behind speeed