Marion Jones arrives to hero’s welcome
Belize’s past is not exactly chocked full of heroes… so when the real thing shows up we tend to get excited. Add to that excitement the fact that the hero is proudly half Belizean and you have all the ingredients for a welcome of Olympian proportions. That’s exactly what track and field superstar Marion Jones received today as she arrived here for a four-day visit. News 5’s Ann-Marie Williams was at the airport to chronicle the story, while cameramen George Tillett and Brent Toombs stuck to Jones like rice on beans.
Ann-Marie Williams, Reporting
When the fastest woman in the world, accompanied by her mom and brother, touched down at the Philip Goldson International Airport around 12:45 this afternoon, there was no shortage of Belizeans to meet and greet her.
Among the family members on hand were uncle and aunt, Godwin and Eleanor Hulse. They formed part of the receiving line along with Prime Minister Said Musa, Education Minister Cordel Hyde, Mayor David Fonseca and City Counsellor Marshall Nunez.
Although Jones is not the first Olympic star to visit the jewel, she’s the best, having won an amazing 5 medals at the Sydney Olympics: three golds; in the 100, 200 and 4×400 relay, and two bronze medals in the long jump and 4×100 relay.
Although born and raised in Los Angeles Marion’s mother is a Belizean; Marion Hulse Toler. The elder Marion must have raised her daughter well because she certainly has not forgotten her roots.
And Belizeans responded with enthusiasm and emotion, crowding the airport for even just a glimpse of one of the greatest athletes this planet has ever produced.
Ann-Marie Williams
“What do you know about Marion Jones?”
Marion Fan #1
“Well, I just start to hear who Marion Jones is since I saw her on TV.”
Marion Fan #2
“A famous runner.”
Marion Fan #3
“I saw her on TV and I like her act, she’s a star.”
Ann-Marie Williams
?Are you here to see her too??
Marion Fan #3
?Yeah, since I am here, I would like to see her personally.?
Marion Fan #4
“I’m doing a feature on Belize as well for the magazine I work on, so I’ll be writing about the jaguars and the preservations in Belize.?
Ann-Marie Williams
?Do you know that Marion Jones is landing soon??
Marion Fan #4
?Yes. We found this out when we few in earlier on, which was about three weeks ago and yeah, we couldn?t believe out luck we?re flying out she?s flying in.?
Ann-Marie Williams
“What do you know about Marion Jones?”
Marion Fan #4
?Well we were watching the Olympics and we obviously saw here competing there and she performed terrific and she waved the Belizean flag.”
Marion Fan #5
“Wonderful because it’s a role model for the kids. I hope they could make the kids get a whole lot of her instead of just you know… because the kids would say well they could do the same thing she’s doing.”
Marion Fan #1
“I believe she’s a Belizean.”
Not quite, Marion was born in California, but her Belizean roots are increasingly well planted in this proud country. Ann-Marie Williams for News 5.
