Jones Shifts Gears to Olympic Trials

Don’t misunderstand Marion Jones.

The Thousand Oaks High junior is thrilled about winning her third consecutive state high school track and field title in both the girls’ 100 and 200 meters. It is just that she has her sights set on the U. S. Olympic trials in New Orleans, June 19-28.

“It’s great to have six state titles behind me,” Jones said. “But I’m not dwelling on it. It’s time to get ready for the next part of the season.”

Jones, who won the 100 and 200 for Rio Mesa as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to Thousand Oaks in November, put on a remarkable sprinting display in the state championships at Cerritos College last weekend.

On Friday, she won her qualifying heats in the 100 (11.24 seconds) and 200 (22.71), the best double in those events by a high school girl. On Saturday, she won the 100 in a personal best of 11.14--only .01 seconds shy of the national high school record--and the 200 in 22.83, her fifth fastest time of the season and the No. 7 performance on the all-time list.

“My mind wasn’t set on a particular time,” Jones said of the 100. “I just wanted to get out of the blocks well and then run a solid technical race the rest of the way. I felt like I did that.”

With her victories, Jones, 16, became the first girls’ sprinter to win six individual state titles, breaking the record of five set by Angela Burnham of Rio Mesa from 1986-89. Jones also tied the record for most individual state titles held by Natalie Kaaiawahia of Fullerton and Wendy Brown of Woodside.

Kaaiawahia won the shotput four times and the discus twice from 1980-83, and Brown won the triple jump three times, the long jump twice and the high jump once from 1982-84.

“I was aware of those records,” Jones said. “A few people had pointed them out to me, but I didn’t enter the meet thinking about getting them. I don’t think you should ever assume that you’re going to win this race or that race. Anything can happen when you step on the track.”

Jones has followed a strict training regimen designed by Elliott Mason Jr., her personal coach, this season in an attempt to peak for the trials.

Mason’s main goal at the start of the season was to have Jones healthy and in top condition--physically and mentally--in the trials. Jones seems on schedule.

“We will wait for the trials until we really run fast,” Mason said during the state meet. “We’ll just continue to funnel down the times leading up to that.”

Jones, Track & Field News’ 1991 girls’ high school athlete of the year, finished fourth in the 200 and eighth in the 100 in The Athletics Congress championships last June, but she is approaching the trials in a different state of mind.

“Last year was basically a chance to get my feet wet at that level of competition,” she said. “I was in it for the experience as much as anything. This year, I’m going there with the attitude of running fast and making the (Olympic) team.”

The top three in each event qualify for the U.S. team that will compete in Barcelona later this summer. The top six--two are alternates--in the 100 will form the 400-meter relay team.

Jones is not favored to make the U.S. team, but her chances are far from remote. Track & Field News has picked her to finish 10th in the 100 and fourth in the 200 in its latest issue.

Jones’ mother, Marion Toler, said her daughter is confident of making the U.S. team. Toler said Jones laughs when she is referred to as an Olympic team longshot.

“She doesn’t let what other people say affect her,” Toler said. “She knows what she is capable of doing.”