Lausanne (AFP)

The American Florence Griffith-Joyner, who died in 1998, has held the world record in the 100m in 10 sec 49 for 33 years, a phenomenal time marred by suspicion, and threatened for the first time by Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah.

The now six-time Olympic champion, author of a resounding 100-200-4x100 m treble at the Tokyo Games in early August, achieved the 2nd best time in history in 10 sec 54 on Saturday in Eugene (Oregon) and lined up on Thursday in Lausanne (Switzerland), where the wait is immense.

Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah, victorious in the 100m, at the Diamond League meeting on August 21, 2021 in Eugene, Oregon JONATHAN FERREY GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / AFP / Archives

- "Flo-Jo" the icon -

From the launch of her career in the early 1980s, the Los Angeles native stood out with flashy outfits, endless colored nails and a certain sense of elegance that clashes with tartan.

The American Florence Griffith-Joyner, during her 200m semi-final at the World Championships, September 3, 1987 in Rome STAFF AFP

Her style, which she cultivated until her triumph in 1988, will remain cult, like her stride.

The tributes to the look of "Flo-Jo" have never ceased, with megastar Beyoncé (in 2018) and tenniswoman Serena Williams recently at the start of the year at the Australian Open.

“When I see her races, I like to look at her mechanics, her magnificent technique. I try to do the same as her but I don't think I can do it perfectly yet, I will work on it. She is a good inspiration for our sport, ”says Elaine Thompson-Herah.

- The transformation -

Florence Griffith, married to triple jumper Al Joyner in 1987, her future trainer, finished 4th in the 1983 Worlds over 200 m before building a nice record: she was Olympic vice-champion in the half-lap at home in Los Angeles in 1984, as at the 1987 Worlds in Helsinki where she also won gold in the 4x100m relay.

The joy of the American Florence Griffith-Joyner, and her husband, Al Joyner, American triple jumper, after her victory in the 200m final, September 29, 1988 at the Olympic Games in Seoul STF AFP / Archives

In 1988, his performance exploded and his physical appearance changed with a very significant gain in muscle mass.

That season, the 28-year-old athlete, already well established at the highest level, subtracted 47 hundredths of a second from his best time in 100m and 62 hundredths from his benchmark in the 200m.

She thus established two world records, including that of the legendary straight line on July 16, 1988 in Indianapolis, in the series of American selections for the Olympic Games in Seoul.

In South Korea, she crushed the competition and won the titles in 100, 200 and 4x100m, in addition to silver in 4x400m.

The joy of the American Florence Griffith-Joyner, Olympic champion in the 100 m, on September 25, 1988 at the Olympic Games in Seoul RON KUNTZ IOPP / AFP / Archives

These brutal changes in performance and appearance will forever fuel suspicions of doping.

"This change has been faster than anything imaginable," legend Carl Lewis wrote in his autobiography in 1990.

"His physical appearance, those muscles popping up everywhere, made many people wonder. And then his voice, which got much deeper."

The American Florence Griffith-Joyner, Olympic champion in the 200 m, with a new world record (21.34 sec), September 29, 1988 at the Olympic Games in Seoul ROMEO GACAD AFP / Archives

In 1989, the American, who has never tested positive, announces to everyone's surprise her retirement.

She died of an epileptic seizure in November 1998, suffocated in her bed.

A very young death (38 years old) which at the time had fueled suspicions about taking products earlier in his life.

- Wind -

On the day of the 100m world record, the wind blows hard in the Michael Carroll stadium in Indianapolis, where measurements are regularly taken between 2.7 and 5 m / s, which prevents the approval of a performance ( above 2 m / s).

Two of the 100m series, including Griffith-Joyner's record one, were credited with zero wind which seemed unlikely to witnesses.

The Australian biomechanist Nicholas Linthorne had written a report in 1995 at the request of the international federation, indicating that the measurement could not be good, writes the newspaper L'Equipe, and that the record had to be changed.

Advice not followed up.

© 2021 AFP