Confident Jones Proves Again She Owns 200 Title

Marion Jones still can’t be beaten in the 200 meters.

Jones pulled away from Kelli White in the final few meters to win her fifth consecutive national 200 title Sunday. Her time of 22.35 seconds was second fastest in the world this year. Only Jones herself has run faster.

Jones, who won an unprecedented five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has not lost a 200 final since May 7, 1995. That streak includes the 1999 World Championships, where she injured her back in the 200 semifinals and did not compete in the final.

On Saturday, Jones won her fourth national title in the 100.

Jones has been invincible in both sprints since finishing second to Zhanna Pintusevich-Block of Ukraine in the 100 final last summer at the world championships.

“My confidence is back, not that I ever lost it. But, without a doubt, if you lose a race when you don’t lose all that often, it’s bound to stir you up a bit and I think it did last year,” Jones said.

Jones planned to visit Alcatraz today, then fly to Europe for the summer track season.

Gail Devers won her fourth consecutive U.S. title in the women’s 100-meter hurdles with a time of 12.51 seconds, best in the world this year. She has won the national title in eight of 12 years.

Allen Johnson won his third consecutive title in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 13.08, second fastest in the world this year. He has won five national titles in the last seven years.

Stacy Dragila won the women’s pole vault for the fourth year in a row, but missed three attempts at 15 feet 9 3/4 inches that would have broken her world record.

Dragila, who has five titles in the six years since the event debuted at the national championships, cleared 15-3 for the victory. Her world record, set last year at Stanford, remains 15-9.

There were 16 other finals Sunday as the three-day U.S. Championships ended.

Regina Jacobs won the women’s 1,500 for the eighth time in nine years. Seneca Lassiter won the men’s 1,500, his first national title since 1997.

Sandra Glover won her fourth consecutive U.S. title in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, James Carter won the men’s 400 hurdles, Nathan Leeper won his second consecutive title in the men’s high jump, and Walter Davis won the men’s triple jump.

Jearl Miles Clark won her fourth national title in the women’s 400, and Alvin Harrison won the men’s 400. Ramon Clay won the men’s 200, Adam Setliff won his third consecutive national title in the men’s discus, and Anna Mahon won the women’s hammer.

David Krummenacker won the men’s 800 for the second year in a row, and Nicole Teter won the women’s 800. Elizabeth Jackson won the women’s 3,000-meter steeplechase in 9 minutes 47.35 seconds, the fastest time run on American soil, and Anthony Famiglietti won the men’s steeplechase. Tim Seaman won the men’s 20-kilometer walk.