Daily Archives: August 2, 2012

Florence Griffith-Joyner and the Top 20 Fastest Women in History (and the Top 20 100 Meter Dash Times)

Aug 2

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Florence Griffith-Joyner, the Fastest Woman Ever

Florence Griffith-Joyner, The Fastest Woman Ever

The late great Florence Griffith-Joyner is the fastest woman in history. Her 10.49 in Indianapolis in 1988 is the fastest clocked time of any woman in the 100 meter dash – and by a lot, too. Carmelita Jeter, the fastest woman alive (and second ever),  is .15 seconds off Flo-Jo’s top time. That’s a relative eternity on a list where placement is usually determined in increments of .01 seconds.

The most recent fastest time was scored by Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce who just a few weeks ago put up a 10.70. Both Jeter and Fraser-Pryce will be running in the 2012 London Olympics.

Today’s first list actually looks at the 21 (and ties) fastest women ever. The extra athletes are to account for Marion Jones‘ possibly drug-aided performances. After lying to a grand jury about it, a defiance that would eventually win her a six-month spell in prison, in 2007 Jones finally copped to using PEDs. She was forced to return the five medals she won at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and her racing results were vacated from September, 2000 onward. But Jones was suspected of drug use long before that, and so even her 10.65 in 1998 is clouded in suspicion.

The second list looks at the fastest women’s times in the 100 meters. 1988 was a huge year for Griffith-Joyner as she etched the top three fastest times ever. The top 20 times are covered by seven sprinters, from the USA, Jamaica and France.

Marion Jones officially (pre-2000) owns eight of the top 20 times ever. But if you strike her times from the records (today’s third list), six other sprinters can call themselves some of the fastest women ever.

What about the fastest men in history? Sports List of the Day has you covered: Usain Bolt and the Top 20 Fastest Men in History.

Thanks to the International Association of Athletics Federations at iaaf.org.

Follow me on Twitter @VinGetz.

TOP 20 FASTEST WOMEN

  TIME ATHLETE FROM RACE LOCATION DATE
1. 10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 16, 1988
2. 10.64 Carmelita Jeter USA Shanghai September 20, 2009
3. 10.65 Marion Jones* USA Johannesburg September 12, 1998
4. 10.70 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica Kingston (NS), JAM June 29, 2012
5. 10.73 Christine Arron France Budapest August 19, 1998
6. 10.74 Merlene Ottey Jamaica Milano September 7, 1996
7. 10.75 Kerron Stewart Jamaica Roma July 10, 2009
8. 10.76 Evelyn Ashford USA Zürich August 22, 1984
8. 10.76 Veronica Campbell-Brown Jamaica Ostrava May 31, 2011
10. 10.77 Irina Privalova Russia Lausanne July 6, 1994
10. 10.77 Ivet Lalova Bulgaria Plovdiv June 19, 2004
12. 10.78 Dawn Sowell USA Provo, UT June 3, 1989
12. 10.78 Torri Edwards USA Eugene, OR June 28, 2008
14. 10.79 Xuemei Li China Shanghai October 18, 1997
14. 10.79 Inger Miller USA Sevilla August 22, 1999
16. 10.81 Marlies Göhr East Germany Berlin June 8, 1983
17. 10.82 Gail Devers USA Barcelona August 1, 1992
17. 10.82 Gwen Torrence USA Paris September 3, 1994
17. 10.82 Zhanna Block Ukraine Edmonton August 6, 2001
17. 10.82 Sherone Simpson Jamaica Kingston (NS), JAM June 24, 2006
21. 10.83 Marita Koch East Germany Berlin June 8, 1983
21. 10.83 Sheila Echols USA Indianapolis, IN July 16, 1988
21. 10.83 Juliet Cuthbert Jamaica Barcelona August 1, 1992
21. 10.83 Ekateríni Thánou Greece Sevilla August 22, 1999

TOP 20 FASTEST 100m TIMES

  TIME ATHLETE FROM RACE LOCATION DATE
1. 10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 16, 1988
2. 10.61 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 17, 1988
3. 10.62 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Seoul September 24, 1988
4. 10.64 Carmelita Jeter USA Shanghai September 20, 2009
5. 10.65 Marion Jones USA Johannesburg September 12, 1998
6. 10.67 Carmelita Jeter USA Thessaloniki September 13, 2009
7. 10.70 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 17, 1988
7. 10.70 Marion Jones USA Sevilla August 22, 1999
7. 10.70 Carmelita Jeter USA Eugene, OR June 4, 2011
7. 10.70 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica Kingston (NS), JAM June 29, 2012
11. 10.71 Marion Jones USA Chengdu May 12, 1998
11. 10.71 Marion Jones USA New Orleans, LA June 19, 1998
13. 10.72 Marion Jones USA New Orleans, LA June 20, 1998
13. 10.72 Marion Jones USA Monaco August 8, 1998
13. 10.72 Marion Jones USA Lausanne August 25, 1998
16. 10.73 Christine Arron France Budapest August 19, 1998
16. 10.73 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica Berlin August 17, 2009
18. 10.74 Merlene Ottey Jamaica Milano September 7, 1996
19. 10.75 Marion Jones USA Roma July 14, 1998
19. 10.75 Marion Jones* USA Sydney September 23, 2000
19. 10.75 Kerron Stewart Jamaica Roma July 10, 2009
19. 10.75 Kerron Stewart Jamaica Berlin August 17, 2009

TOP 20 FASTEST 100m TIMES EXCLUDING JONES

  TIME ATHLETE FROM RACE LOCATION DATE
1. 10.49 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 16, 1988
2. 10.61 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 17, 1988
3. 10.62 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Seoul September 24, 1988
4. 10.64 Carmelita Jeter USA Shanghai September 20, 2009
5. 10.67 Carmelita Jeter USA Thessaloniki September 13, 2009
6. 10.70 Florence Griffith-Joyner USA Indianapolis, IN July 17, 1988
6. 10.70 Carmelita Jeter USA Eugene, OR June 4, 2011
6. 10.70 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica Kingston (NS), JAM June 29, 2012
9. 10.73 Christine Arron France Budapest August 19, 1998
9. 10.73 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica Berlin August 17, 2009
11. 10.74 Merlene Ottey Jamaica Milano September 7, 1996
12. 10.75 Kerron Stewart Jamaica Roma July 10, 2009
12. 10.75 Kerron Stewart Jamaica Berlin August 17, 2009
14. 10.76 Evelyn Ashford USA Zürich August 22, 1984
14. 10.76 Veronica Campbell-Brown Jamaica Ostrava May 31, 2011
16. 10.77 Irina Privalova Russia Lausanne July 6, 1994
16. 10.77 Ivet Lalova Bulgaria Plovdiv June 19, 2004
18. 10.78 Dawn Sowell USA Provo, UT June 3, 1989
18. 10.78 Merlene Ottey Jamaica Sevilla May 30, 1990
18. 10.78 Merlene Ottey Jamaica Paris September 3, 1994
18. 10.78 Torri Edwards USA Eugene, OR June 28, 2008
18. 10.78 Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce Jamaica Beijing (National Stadium) August 17, 2008
18. 10.78 Veronica Campbell-Brown Jamaica Eugene, OR July 3, 2010
18. 10.78 Carmelita Jeter USA Bruxelles September 16, 2011

Photo: adriansprints.com

Posted in Olympics, Track and Field

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