A LENGTHY LEAP OF FAITH AFTER TWO FOULS, JONES RALLIES TO WIN LONG JUMP.Byline: Paul Oberjuerge Staff Writer SACRAMENTO - Marion Jones Marion Jones, also known as Marion Jones-Thompson (born October 12, 1975 in Los Angeles, California), is an American former athlete in track and field. She was the winner of five medals at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, which she later relinquished after took a great leap forward Great Leap Forward, 1957–60, Chinese economic plan aimed at revitalizing all sectors of the economy. Initiated by Mao Zedong, the plan emphasized decentralized, labor-intensive industrialization, typified by the construction of thousands of backyard steel in her bid for five gold medals. Jackie Joyner-Kersee's career ended, again, with a game effort. Michael Johnson Michael Johnson or Mike Johnson may refer to:
It was a day of triumphs, clutch performances, upsets and precedents at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials on Sunday at Sacramento State. ``Nothing is guaranteed at the trials,'' Johnson said after winning the 400 in 43.68 seconds. ``Nothing is easy. Nobody gives you anything.'' Jones averted disaster in the women's long jump, the weak link in her ambitious scheme for an unprecedented five track-and-field gold medals at Sydney. After fouling on her first two tries, she popped a jump of 22 feet, 1 3/4 inches on her third jump, putting her into the final group of eight. She won the event on her fifth jump, a season-best 23-0 1/2. ``For a blink of an eye there, I thought, 'I've got to get the next one, or this dream is over,' '' Jones said. Joyner-Kersee, Jones' idol, said she was as confident as was Jones that Jones would get a qualifying mark on her third leap. ``She knew exactly what she had to do,'' Joyner-Kersee said. ``She didn't even have to hit the board to qualify, and she knew it.'' Jones, who ran at Rio Mesa of Oxnard and Thousand Oaks high schools, hopes to win gold in the 100, 200, long jump and both relays. She now has secured Olympics berths in three events (the 100, the long jump and the sprint relay), and has five days off before beginning her bid for a 200 berth on Saturday. Joyner-Kersee, 38, ended her quixotic quix·ot·ic also quix·ot·i·cal adj. 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality. 2. comeback bid with a nothing-to- be-ashamed of leap of 21-10 3/4, good for sixth. She came out of retirement two months ago, and the trials was her first meet since 1998. ``I could never be disappointed,'' she said. ``I was on four Olympic teams. This really was a longshot.'' Johnson was pushed slightly in the 400 but never seemed in trouble, winning in 43.68. He was asked if he could have threatened his world record of 43.18 had he pushed hard the entire race. ``Records, records, records!'' he said with some exasperation. ``That's all anybody ever talks about. ``Records don't happen every day, and to set a record, you have to take risks, and this isn't the place for it. In Sydney, I want to run the race of my life.'' He said he takes no umbrage at sniping of him by other track and field athletes, particularly Maurice Greene Maurice Greene may refer to:
``Some people have never been criticized, I guess,'' Johnson said. ``A veteran athlete, a mature athlete, knows that all that matters is what you do on the track.'' Twins Alvin and Calvin Harrison Calvin Harrison (born January 20, 1974) is an American athlete. He won a gold medal in the Men's 4 x 400 metres relay at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. He is the twin brother of fellow Olympic medalist Alvin Harrison. ran second and fifth in the 400. Alvin will compete in the individual 400 competition, and Calvin very likely will be part of the relay team. ``This is wonderful, for twins to be on the same team,'' Alvin said. ``Always before, one got left behind.'' Marla Runyan Marla Runyan, born January 4, 1969 in Santa Maria, California, is a marathon runner who is legally blind. After graduating from Camarillo High School in 1987, Ruyan went on to study at San Diego State University, where she began competing in several sporting events: the , who graduated from Camarillo High, refused to be left behind in the women's 1,500, finishing a strong third in 4 minutes, 6.44 seconds, to make the Olympic team. Runyan is legally blind, and nearly fell when she bumped into a competitor on the second lap but said she doesn't think about her condition - macular degeneration macular degeneration, eye disorder causing loss of central vision. The affected area, the macula, lies at the back of the retina and is the part that produces the sharpest vision. (which leaves her with 20/300 vision) - as much as do people watching People watching or crowd watching is a hobby of some people to watch those around them and their interactions. This differs from voyeurism in that it does not relate to sex or sexual gratification. her. ``And I don't think my competitors do,'' she said. ``I'm definitely an athlete. My vision is just a circumstance that happened. I never really looked at it as a barrier. I never said to myself, 'I want to be the first legally blind Olympian.' I just said I wanted to be on an Olympic team.'' Regina Jacobs Regina Jacobs (born August 28, 1963) is a former middle distance runner from the United States. After graduating from Stanford University she represented the USA in three consecutive Summer Olympics, starting in 1988 in Seoul, South Korea, before ending her career in disgrace after , who attended Campbell Hall Campbell Hall can refer to:
In other events: --Lawrence Johnson took advantage of a field stripped of American world record-holder Jeff Hartwig, who no-heighted in qualifying, to win the pole vault at 19-1 1/2. Nick Hysong was second, and Chad Harting won a jumpoff - the first at the trials since 1936, according to meet organizers - with Derek Miles for third. --Gabe Jennings threatened the men's 1,500 trials record of 3:35.15 seconds before finishing first in 3:35.90. Jason Pyrah and Michael Stember also qualified in the metric mile. --Latisha Colander-Richardson won the women's 400 in 49.87, well below her previous best, and veteran Jearl Miles-Clark was second. San Diego high schooler Monique Henderson was eighth. --Karol Damon was the surprise winner of the women's high jump with a modest leap of 6-4. Amy Acuff, formerly of UCLA UCLA University of California at Los Angeles UCLA University Center for Learning Assistance (Illinois State University) UCLA University of Carrollton, TX and Lower Addison, TX , won a jumpoff with premeet favorite Tisha Waller for the third berth. CAPTION(S): 3 photos Photo: (1 -- cover -- color) Marion Jones adds fuel to her drive for five Olympic gold medals by winning the long jump - considered her weakest event - with a leap of 23-0 1/2 at the U.S. Track and Field Trials. (2 -- color) Marion Jones had the fourth-best mark in the world this year to win the long jump with a leap of 23-0 1/2. Eric Riseberg/Associated Press (3 -- color) Michael Johnson, who easily won the 400 meters, is hoping to become the first to win the 200 and 400 in the same Olympics. Doug Mills/Associated Press |
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