Seasoned Efforts of Jones Flavor Freshman Season

For Marion Jones, there is still one question left unanswered after the Mt. San Antonio College Relays last weekend.

What if?

The Rio Mesa High freshman streaked to a nation-leading 54.21-second clocking in the 400 meters at Mt. SAC, but the false-start disqualification of Bakersfield sophomore Janice Nichols left the Spartan standout with mixed emotions.

Before Saturday, Nichols had the nation’s fastest 400 time at 54.50.

“I was kind of happy and kind of sad,” Jones said of Nichols’ mishap, but she added that she might have broken the age-14 record (53.82 set by Denean Howard of Kennedy in 1979) had Nichols stayed in the race.

To Rio Mesa co-Coach Brian FitzGerald, the outcome of the race might have been decided before the runners left their starting blocks.

“I think the race certainly changed,” FitzGerald said of Nichols’ disqualification. “She (Jones) probably breathed a sigh of relief but may have been disappointed that she didn’t get to race against the best.”

Despite her lofty status, Jones will not run another open 400 this season. Instead, she will prepare for the 100 and 200 in next month’s Southern Section 3-A Division championships.

Being the top-ranked 400 runner in the nation can be a heavy load for a ninth-grader, but the newcomer image is wearing off.

“They don’t look at me as a freshman anymore,” Jones said of her opposition. “Half of them probably don’t know I’m a freshman.”

Which isn’t surprising. Jones neither looks, acts, nor thinks like a freshman. To wit:

* Jones stands 5-foot-9 and reportedly can jump and touch a basketball rim 10 feet overhead.

* Earlier this season, Jones posted times of 11.76 and 23.80 for 100 and 200 meters, both of which rank her second in the nation behind Pasadena Muir senior Inger Miller.

* When Jones loses a sprint race, which has happened only three times this season--all to Miller--FitzGerald said his protege looks forward to the next confrontation.

“She’s not easily intimidated,” FitzGerald said. “She is really an aggressive athlete. If she’s beaten, next time she says she’s going to close the gap a little more.”

Since Miller thrashed Jones, 11.48 to 11.76, in their first meeting March 17 in the Northridge/Alemany Relays, Jones was set on revenge. At the Arcadia Invitational on April 7, Jones used an explosive start to finish within .02 seconds of Miller, the national leader in that event at 11.48.