Does Florence Griffith Joyner still hold the world record? All about the legendary sprinter's iconic performance that still stands unbeaten

Florence Griffith Joyner's two world records in 100m and 200m set in 1988 still stand unbroken. The late American sprinter was known for her incredible athleticism and her wide-ranging personal flair.

During the 100m event's quarterfinals at the 1988 Olympic Trials, Griffith-Joyner stunned the world after registering a world record with a staggering 10.49 seconds, which still stands untouched after 36 years. She earned this career-defining triumph by surpassing the previous record by 0.27 seconds and by besting her previous best by more than half a second.

At her second appearance at the Games in the same year in Seoul, South Korea, she dominated the 100m event with a time of 10.54 seconds. To achieve her first Olympic gold medal, she defeated Evelyn Ashford and Heike Drechsler, who clocked stunning 10.83 and 10.85 seconds, respectively.

During the same Olympics, the American sprinting superstar again managed to take the athletic world by storm after posting a new world record in the 200m event. She listed a stunning time of 21.34 seconds to defeat Grace Jackson Small and Drechsler, recording 21.72 seconds and 21.95 seconds, respectively.

Further, at the 1988 Games, she also secured another gold medal in the 4x100m relay event. The American squad listed a time of 41.98 seconds to defeat the German and USSR squads.

To honor her incredible achievements, Griffith Joyner was awarded the Sullivan Award as the nation’s top amateur performer.

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Which athletes came close to Florence Griffith Joyner's world records?

Florence Griffith Joyner competes in the women's 200-meter semi-final at the 1988 Olympics. (Photo via Getty Images)

Over the years multiple attempts were made by athletes to surpass Florence Griffith Joyner's world records.

On August 21, 2021, Jamaica's Elaine Thompson-Herah recorded a time closest to Griffith Joyner's 100m world record. The Jamaican listed a time of 10.54 seconds, narrowly missing touching the legendary sprinter's personal best with 0.05 seconds.

She achieved this feat at the 2021 Prefontaine Classic held at the Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. With the whopping time, she earned a gold medal by surpassing fellow teammates Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson, who posted 10.73 seconds and 10.76 seconds, respectively.

At the 2023 World Athletics Championships held at the National Athletics Centre in Budapest, Hungary, Jackson came within striking distance of Griffith Joyner's world record. The Jamaican sprinter and Olympian clocked a remarkable 21.41 seconds in the 200m, nearly missing the world record with 0.07 seconds.