Jones Loses a Race--but Speed Not a Factor

Make no mistake about it.

Rio Mesa High sophomore Marion Jones could have done what no one else has--win the girls’ 100, 200 and 400 meters in the state track and field championships at Cerritos College, May 31-June 1.

That is the stern belief of Rio Mesa co-Coach Brian FitzGerald. He is hoping, however, that sacrificing potential glory now--Jones will drop the 400 from her racing itinerary--will pay big dividends in the 100 and 200 in The Athletics Congress championships in New York next month.

“There’s no doubt in my mind that she would have pulled it off if she just ran to win,” FitzGerald said of the triple. “She wanted to do them all. But you’re risking injury by running her in three races at that level of competition. . . . I’d kick myself for years to come if I ran her in all three and she got injured.”

Jones, the defending state champion in the 100 and 200 meters, is taking the plan in stride.

“It wasn’t like an argument or anything when Fitz told me that he didn’t want me to run the 400 at state,” Jones said. “He explained the reasons to me, and it made sense. . . . Besides, I’ll have two more years to try the triple if I really want to.”

Last Friday, in the Southern Section 3-A Division finals at Cerritos College, Jones won the 100 in a personal-best and national-leading time of 11.30 seconds, the 200 in 23.06, the 400 in a personal best and nation-leading 52.91, and anchored the Spartans’ 400 relay team to victory in 48.39.

Now FitzGerald wants to see how Jones will fare against the “big girls” in the TAC meet.

“I think that’s when you’ll see just how fast she really is,” FitzGerald said. “I think that times in the mid-22s (in the 200) and under 11.20 (in the 100) are not impossible.”

With personal bests of 22.87 in the 200, 11.30 in the 100 and 52.91 in the 400, Jones ranks second, fifth and 20th on the all-time high school performer list in those events.

Maicel Malone of Arizona State, the defending NCAA champion in the 400, is the only other sprinter to rank among the top 20 in all three events, having run 11.49 in the 100 (tied for 13th), 23.12 in the 200 (6th) and 52.42 (13th) in the 400 as a junior at North Central High in Indianapolis in 1986.

The top three finishers in each event in the TAC meet qualify for the U. S. team that will compete in the World Championships in Tokyo in August. Jones currently ranks fourth in the 100 and 200 on this year’s U. S. list.

FitzGerald scoffs at talk of Jones making the U. S. team at the grand old age of 15, however, pointing out that his protege probably would have to run 11.05 or faster in the 100 and under 22.30 in the 200 to have a chance.

“I’d like to see if she can get to the (TAC) finals,” FitzGerald said.

But first there is the matter of the Masters meet Friday at Cerritos College. Jones will compete in the 100, 200 and 400 relay in an attempt to qualify for the state meet the following weekend.