Jones Stops and Talks

Drained by competing in three events and combating drug allegations, Marion Jones withdrew from the semifinals of the 200-meter dash at the U.S. Olympic trials on Saturday to concentrate on preparing for the Athens long jump and a possible berth on the 400-meter relay team.

She might also gain a slot in the 100 and defend her Sydney title despite her fifth-place finish at the trials. Runner-up Torri Edwards acknowledged taking a banned stimulant -- she said it was inadvertent -- and faces a ban that could keep her off the Athens team; fourth-place finisher Gail Devers has said she used the 100 merely to further her pursuit of a medal in the 100-meter hurdles.

“If it happens that a lane opens up for whatever reason in Athens, you can be sure that I will take advantage of it,” Jones said Saturday, the ninth day of the trials at Hornet Field but her first news conference. “I will prepare, over these next few weeks, just in case that happens.”

Jones, who won gold at Sydney in the 100, 200 and the 1,600-meter relay and bronze in the long jump and 400-meter relay, is under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency for possible doping violations but has not been charged. Tim Montgomery, her live-in companion and father of their year-old son, faces a lifetime ban for allegedly using banned substances. He didn’t make the Athens team.

Looking cool despite intense heat and glaring TV lights, Jones cited exhaustion for dropping out of the 200. She ran a slow 22.93 in her qualifying heat Friday. “I did not want to take up a lane from a young athlete who, perhaps, this will be their only chance at the Olympic trials,” she said.

She described her experiences here as “up and down,” marked by frustration with her time of 11.14 seconds in the 100 but satisfaction in the long jump finals. She won that event Thursday with a leap of 23 feet 4 inches (7.11 meters), her best since 1998 and second in the world this season to a 7.16-meter jump by Elva Goulbourne of Jamaica. Jones also hit 22-5 1/4 and 22-4 1/4.

“My series of jumps proved that I’m definitely a contender at this summer’s Olympics,” she said. “I’m very excited about it.

“I was extremely disappointed after the 100 and not placing in the top three. After the semifinals, I was excited. I thought, ‘I really have a chance.’ Technically, I put my race together in the semifinals and then I came back for the finals and I didn’t match that.”

Jones said she hasn’t been unhappy with most media coverage of her off-the-track woes but decried leaks of Montgomery’s grand jury testimony and reports that he said he got human growth hormone and the steroid THG from Victor Conte. She called it unfair for athletes such as Montgomery who haven’t tested positive to face harsh scrutiny and penalties, while others whose positive tests recently came to light avoided similar scrutiny.

“He said he’s never taken any performance-enhancing drugs and that he worked hard for his world record, and I believe him,” she said.

Jones also said she considers her struggles this season “a pretty good slap in the face.” She added, “I am extremely optimistic that once this year is over and I end on a high note in Athens with gold medals I can regroup over the rest of the summer and get back to where I was, if not better....

“If anything, this down year will provide motivation to want to prove to myself and the world I still have it, and that I’m not this old, shriveled-up mother that only runs 11.14 and doesn’t run in the semifinals of the 200 meters.”

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Melvin Lister, who won the triple jump at the 2000 trials but took a three-year break from the event, leaped a world-best 58 feet 4 inches to set a trials record. Walter Davis was second at 57-10 1/4 and Kenta Bell third at 57-8 1/4.... Breaux Greer threw the javelin 270-4 to win an Athens berth. He’s competing on a torn knee ligament and will have surgery after the Games.

UCLA’s Monique Henderson finished fifth in the women’s 400 in 50.75 seconds. Monique Hennigan won in 49.56 seconds, second in the world this year. Collegians Sanya Richards of Texas and DeeDee Trotter of Tennessee got the second and third Olympic berths.

Mark Crear of Valencia, a silver medalist in the 110-meter hurdles at Atlanta and bronze medalist at Sydney, had the top qualifying time, 13.60, and ran 13.45 in the quarterfinals to reach today’s semifinals. “Everything’s going according to plan,” said Crear, who hasn’t competed much since he became a minister two years ago.... UCLA’s Sheena Johnson, winner of the 400-meter hurdles, advanced to the semis of the 100 hurdles with fellow Bruin Sani Roseby. Devers won her quarterfinal heat in 12.79 seconds.

Shawn Crawford blazed to today’s final of the men’s 200 with a time of 20 seconds flat in his semifinal. Mickey Grimes, who tested positive for a steroid earlier this year, advanced with a 20.48.... Edwards had the fastest semifinal time in the women’s 200, 22.38. Also advancing was U.S. junior champion Allyson Felix of Los Angeles, who ran a 22.70 in the semifinal.