Jones Finishes, and Takes, Fifth

Marion Jones will not compete for five medals at the Athens Games, as she did in Sydney. Nor will she defend her 100-meter Olympic title.

Jones on Saturday did nothing to silence allegations of past drug use and instead ignited questions about her future when she finished an unimpressive fifth in the 100-meter dash at the Olympic track and field trials, two places from earning a berth in what was once her trademark event.

LaTasha Colander, who switched to the 100 from the 400 a year ago, was the winner in a personal-best 10.97 seconds. Torri Edwards of Pomona High and USC was second in 11.02, earning her second Olympic trip, and 20-year-old Lauryn Williams of the University of Miami added an Athens nomination to her NCAA title by finishing third in 11.10, .01 ahead of Gail Devers. “It’s an honor my first time running against her to beat her,” Williams said of Jones, who finished in 11.14.

Jones was ferried off in a golf cart, ignoring reporters’ inquiries because “when I talk, you guys have something negative to say. When I don’t talk, you guys have something negative to say.” Only in that sense did she leave anyone in her wake.

Yet, in her absence she loomed as large as if she’d joined the top three finishers in the steamy interview tent at Sacramento State’s Hornet Field.

“I wasn’t focused on Marion,” said Colander, who is coached by Trevor Graham, Jones’ former coach. “When it’s your opportunity and the Olympics come every four years, that’s all I focus on.”

Said Edwards: “I just know I went out there and ran the best race I could run.”

Jones won her semifinal heat over an onrushing Richardson, though both were timed at 11.14. In the final, as in most of a difficult season in which she’s also trying to regain her pre-pregnancy form, she lacked the drive and stamina that used to compensate for her balky starts. Colander got stronger down the stretch and passed Edwards and the stocky Williams.

“I’m young yet and this is a great opportunity,” said Williams, who planned to celebrate with a diet-busting breakfast of bacon. “This is my first time trying out for the Olympic team. I’m going to just go out there and give it my all.”

Jones will have chances to qualify for Athens in the 200 and long jump. However, the only 200 she has run this season was a wind-aided 22.03 that left her fourth at the Mt. San Antonio College Relays.

The Athens aspirations of her romantic partner, 100-meter world-record holder Tim Montgomery, remain alive. Montgomery, who was told by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency that it will seek to ban him for life because of his alleged drug use, qualified for today’s semifinals with a 10.21 in the qualifying round and 10.16 in the quarterfinals.

Sydney 100-meter gold medalist Maurice Greene was the fastest in the qualifying round, at 10.07, and followed with a 10.06 in the quarterfinal. Shawn Crawford, who beat Greene last month at the Prefontaine Classic, won his quarterfinal in 10 seconds. John Capel (10.01) and Justin Gatlin (10.03) also looked strong. “I wanted to run easy today,” Greene said. “I’m looking forward to the final [today] and I am going to repeat the gold.”

Inger Miller didn’t make it out of her semifinal heat in the women’s 100. Chryste Gaines, one of the four sprinters accused of drug use by USADA, was also eliminated.

“Yeah, I’m disappointed,” said Miller, who blamed her woes on an injured right leg that reduced her power. “I feel like I’d make the team [if she were] a healthy me.”

Miller is scheduled to run next weekend in the 200, in which she won the 1999 world title. “She’s so devastated,” said her agent, Emanuel Hudson. “She probably had more confidence in the 100 than the 200.”

In the men’s shotput final, Christian Cantwell was squeezed off the Athens team despite having recorded the top four throws in the world this season. Cantwell had only one fair throw, 67 feet 5 1/2 inches, finishing behind Adam Nelson (71 feet), Reese Hoffa (69-4 1/4) and three-time world champion John Godina (69-2).

“In a month we should have three guys ready to try and sweep the medals,” Nelson said.

Sheena Johnson of UCLA had the second-fastest semifinal time in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, 54.16, and advanced to today’s final.

The men’s 400-meter hurdles produced a surprise when Joey Woody, the silver medalist at the 2003 world outdoor championships, failed to advance to today’s final.

Sydney gold medalist Angelo Taylor finished second in his heat, behind Bershawn Jackson, but advanced.

Shelia Burrell, a 1995 UCLA graduate, won the women’s heptathlon with 6,194 points to lead the three-woman Athens delegation. Burrell finished 26th at the Sydney Games. Tiffany Lott-Hogan was second and 2001 UCLA product Michelle Perry was third.