Long Jump, Women

Media attention centered on Marion Jones who was trying to win five gold medals – 100, 200, long jump, and both relays. But she had never won a major international in the long jump. Back was perennial favorite Heike Drechsler, gold medalist from Barcelona and winner of the last four European Championships. Italy’s Fiona May was also a threat but she had a habit of finishing second in major championships – 1996 Olympics, 1999 Worlds, 1998 Europeans, although she had been World Champion in 1995. Drechsler, May and Jones decided the medals, in that order, in round three, as they all produced their best efforts in that round. May and Jones tied with 6.92 (22-8½) and it fell to the countback with May winning with a best second mark of 6.82 (22-4½) produced in round two. Jones had only one other legal mark.

But the results of this event and every 2000 event in which Marion Jones competed are not what they seem. Dogged by rumors of drug use, Jones was married to shot putter C. J. Hunter and during the Sydney Olympics it was revealed that he tested positive for steroids several times earlier in the year. They later divorced, and she then married sprinter Tim Montgomery. In 2003 he was found to have participated with the BALCO Scandal and was banned for two years by the IAAF. In 2006 Jones almost tested positive for the only time in her career, with a sample showing use of eryrthropoietin (EPO) after the US Championships. But her B sample was negative and it was not considered a positive drug test. Shortly thereafter Montgomery was charged in a check-kiting scheme and Jones was implicated as well, and they later divorced. She then married Barbadian sprinter Obadele Thompson, who had, at least, no drug charges against him. In October 2007, Jones admitted to federal prosecutors that she had lied to them and had used steroids in the months prior to the Sydney Olympics. Her 2000 results were stricken by the IAAF and the medals were returned to the IOC.