Editing Florence Griffith Joyner (section)

==Early life==
Griffith was born in [[Los Angeles]], California, the seventh of eleven children born to Robert, an electrician, and Florence Griffith, a seamstress.<ref name=AA/><ref name=":6">{{Cite web |url=http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20099786,00.html |title=Flashy Florence Griffith Joyner Will Be the One to Watch—and Clock—in the Women's Sprints |date=August 29, 1988 |website=[[People (magazine)|People]] |access-date=July 22, 2016 |volume=30 |issue=9 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160914215523/http://www.people.com/people/archive/article/0,,20099786,00.html |archive-date=September 14, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> The family lived in [[Littlerock, California]], before Florence Griffith moved with her children to the [[Jordan Downs]] public housing complex located in the [[Watts, Los Angeles|Watts]] section of Los Angeles.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2000-jan-15-me-54154-story.html |title=School Renamed for Late Track Star Griffith Joyner |last=Briggs |first=Johnathon E. |date=January 15, 2000 |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |issn=0458-3035 |access-date=July 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160819102144/http://articles.latimes.com/2000/jan/15/local/me-54154 |archive-date=August 19, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite web |url=http://lawattstimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=342:the-mother-behind-the-olympian-reveals-the-spirit-that-was-flo-jo&catid=12&Itemid=110 |title=The mother behind the Olympian reveals the spirit that was Flo Jo |last=Childs |first=Joy |date=August 10, 2012 |website=L.A. Watts Times |access-date=July 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160705094757/http://lawattstimes.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=342:the-mother-behind-the-olympian-reveals-the-spirit-that-was-flo-jo&catid=12&Itemid=110 |archive-date=July 5, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref>

When Griffith was in elementary school, she joined the Sugar Ray Robinson Organization, running in track meets on weekends.<ref name=":3" /> She won the Jesse Owens National Youth Games two years in a row, at the ages of 14 and 15.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/s/add_griffith_joyner_florence.html |title=ESPN Classic - FloJo sets 100 record at 1988 Olympic Trials |last=Schwartz |first=Kris |date=July 16, 1998 |website=ESPN |access-date=July 24, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521075523/http://espn.go.com/classic/s/add_griffith_joyner_florence.html |archive-date=May 21, 2014 |url-status=live}}</ref> Griffith ran track at [[Jordan High School (Los Angeles, California)|Jordan High School]] in Los Angeles.<ref name=":3" />

Showing an early interest in fashion, Griffith persuaded the members of the track team to wear tights with their uniforms.<ref name=":4" /> As a high school senior in 1978, she finished sixth at the [[CIF California State Meet]] behind future teammates [[Alice Brown (sprinter)|Alice Brown]] and [[Pam Marshall]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/stateres.htm |title=California State Meet Results – 1915 to present |publisher=prepcaltrack.com |access-date=December 25, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006092406/http://www.prepcaltrack.com/ATHLETICS/TRACK/stateres.htm |archive-date=October 6, 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> By the time she graduated from Jordan High School in 1978, she had set high-school records in sprinting and long jump.<ref name=":7">{{cite web |url=https://www.espn.com/classic/biography/s/Griffith_Joyner_Florence.html |title=FloJo Made Speed Fashionable |last=Schwartz |first=Kris |work=[[ESPN.com]] |access-date=June 24, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606013739/http://espn.go.com/classic/biography/s/Griffith_Joyner_Florence.html |archive-date=June 6, 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>