Daughter to sing as Indiana Pacers pay tribute to Florence Griffith-Joyner

Indianapolis, Indiana: Florence Griffith-Joyner, the late US athletics star who won 1988 Olympic gold and set world records at 100 and 200 meters, will be honored Sunday by the NBA`s Indiana Pacers.

Mary Joyner, the daughter of "Flo-Jo", will sing the US anthem before the Pacers play host to the Dallas Mavericks.

And the Pacers will wear the uniforms Griffith-Joyner designed for them in 1989 for the fifth and final time at home this season. The team wore the outfits from 1990 through 1997.

Joyner was only seven years old when Griffith-Joyner died in 1998 in her sleep at age 38 in what was ruled suffocation during an epileptic seizure.

"The national anthem meant so much to my mother," Joyner said. "And, not only are the Pacers honoring her, but they are honoring her work outside the track world. She loved designing and it means a lot that they`re honoring my mother`s jersey.

"For me to be signing the national anthem at a Pacers game while the team wears those uniforms, it`s such an honor... this is like a dream come true."

Joyner set a world 100m record of 10.49 seconds at Indianapolis in a quarter-final heat at the 1988 US Olympic trials, although it was controversial because the wind gauge registered 0.0 in windy conditions while the race before registered a tailwind of 5.2m/sec, well above the level of wind aiding.

Griffith-Joyner won 100 and 200 gold at the Seoul Olympics later in 1988, her 200 semi-final time of 21.56 also setting a world record.

As much for her speed, Griffith-Joyner was known for her fashion style, fancy self-designed running attire and long fingernails.

"It`s great because my mom`s work lives on," Joyner said. "I know she put her passion and her heart into the design. Out of all the uniforms, I love her designs because they actually fit this generation as well.

"I believe her designs are timeless. I just know she would be so happy and so proud of her work being re-recognized."