Two down, three to go for Marion
When she won her first gold medal in the hundred metres in Sydney, Belizean hearts swelled with pride… And when she ran her victory lap with the Belizean flag held high those hearts nearly stopped beating from the excitement. So what did Marion Jones do for an encore? Not only did she win the 200 in similarly grand style, but once again that beautiful Belize flag was right up there with the stars and stripes. Marion’s triumph was carried live on Channel Five at three this morning, and in case you missed it, here is a chance to savor every sweet moment. As usual, our commentators in Sydney are Lance Whittaker and Hubert Lawrence.
Lance Whittaker, Television Commentator
“Another huge crowd inside the Sydney Olympic Stadium. There’s Marion Jones, focused on her gold medal effort. It’s unlikely that they’ll be able to deny her. She is significantly better than the rest of this field.”
Hubert Lawrence, Television Commentator
“Has just been cruising, she ran a strong curve in the semi-finals and eased down after 150. This lady would love to close off her Olympic career with an individual medal. She has a silver for the four by one back in Atlanta in 1996.”
Lance Whittaker
“Very versatile runner Pauline Davis, and there’s Jones. There are ready for the start and McDonald for Jamaica will run in one. Davis for the Bahamas in three and Debbie Ferguson of the Bahamas in five, Marion Jones in four. Over 100,000 fans in the stadium. The Australians Cathy Freeman and Melinda Gainsford Taylor in lanes two and seven. Getting ready for the start, Ferguson is just on the outside of Jones. Pauline Davis Thompson is just on the inside of Jones. Jones has been able to start well and run a good curve even though she is so tall, a real classy athlete.”
(Gun goes off)
Lance Whittaker
“There they go. Jones is off quickly, Davis Thompson is not off too badly, Ferguson running well…. Jones coming off the turn with a clear advantage. McDonald struggling on the inside. There is Marion Jones, the world champion coming forward with a big victory. She is on top by three to four metres. Jasasinghe looking for the silver medal. Pauline Davis looking for the silver as well. They hit the line together. 21.85, the victory for Marion Jones. Pauline Davis, looking to battle with Jayasinghe for the silver and Davis has just done it on the inside for the Bahamas.”
Hubert Lawrence
“Marion Jones would step in these finals. 21.85 the final time, a super run by the quarter mile veteran from the Bahamas, looks to have got a silver medal. 21.84 for Marion Jones, Ferguson in good position down the straightaway, but the quarter mile power is undeniable, undeniable quarter mile power of Pauline Davis seems to have brought her up.”
“Here is the reply of the start. Good start Jayasinghe and a good start for Debbie Ferguson, in the first steps, the staggers even. But as they move forward, Marion Jones starts to close the stagger as expected on Debbie Ferguson and Jayasinghe. Following her in lane three is Pauline Davis Thompson. She is well back now because she never runs a great turn. Cathy Freeman last up the curve for the Australians. Jones turns into the straightaway and Jayasinghe in the dark strip third from the left is in second place, Debbie Ferguson is in third. McDonald has run a good turn but has come forward, but now Pauline Davis starts to put on the power, says she wants to finish her Olympic career with a medal and is doing that. Jones clearing the way. Jayasinghe in second, but is being attacked by Pauline Davis, who moves past McDonald and Ferguson and Gainsford and right now Jayasinghe is going to be beaten out by Pauline Davis, who closes a career with an individual Olympic medal. Disappointed in fourth place in the 400 way back when in 1996 in Atlanta, now she has silver. Marion Jones she is the number one sprinter in the world with two Olympic gold medals in fast times on the Olympic track. Great run for Pauline Davis Thompson in second with the Jamaican Bev McDonald looking to be fourth. Here is Pauline Davis, has on her Bahamian flag like a superman cape. Here is Marion Jones walking and meeting the people, celebrating. That bright smile unmaimed by all the stuff going around by her husband CJ Hunter. Lance Whittaker told us she would step and she has.”
Lance Whittaker
“She has run a brilliant race and there is no question about her label as far as world women’s sprinting is concerned. She is undeniably the best and no one even close at the moment. Marion Jones predictably completes a marvelous Olympic double here. She won the 100 metres in 10.75 on Saturday and she has come back with a 21.84 clocking to dominate the 200 metres here and she is very, very happy. She takes the Belize and the U.S. flag. Her mother from Belize, a part of the Caribbean community, CARICOM, and Marion Jones does it again.”
Hubert Lawrence
“I’m trying to scan back in my mind and to find the last time someone won a sprint double in the Olympic Games. It takes me back to 1972, I have to check the date on that. But this is Marion Jones, as she moves powerfully past Debbie Ferguson who is running a good turn, but a super turn by Marion Jones, powers into the straightaway, unchallenged. Everyone knows by now the gold medal is gone. The battle is now for silver. To the left side of the screen is Jayasinghe, in the dark strip, nice technical form she has, trying to… right now she is in second place, but Pauline Davis Thompson, on the left side of the screen now, is moving past Bev McDonald and is going through and a great run by Davis Thompson to outrun the younger sprinters for the silver and it shows how important endurance is. Here’s the relaxation of Marion Jones, efficient runner we saw in the 100 metres.”
“Now she’s in the straight, everything in a straight line, total relaxation and balance. The head not wagging from side to side, the shoulders still blocked and perpendicular to the way she is going. Freeman up the straight to the back, big victory medal and she hasn’t… the Australian press was billing this as a battle between the quarter man and the sprinter, resolved decisively in favour of Marion Jones. Here’s the front view, looks up to the stadium screen, see she’s ahead, refocuses back on what’s in front of her, 50 metres to the gold medal.”
Lance Whittaker
“Classy Marion Jones with an outstanding win in the 200 for women after taking the 100 metres, completing a fine double. There’s Marion Jones being congratulated by Cathy Freeman the local hero and Marion Jones is really irresistible. She has convincingly beating the Australian out of a medal here in this event, but the Aussies are still embracing this wonderful American athlete who has clock 21.84 for the victory. There’s your champion Marion Jones, we say good evening to the Channel Five viewers in Belize, where Marion Jones’ mother is from. She has made is patently clear that she’s half Belize, half American and she is proud of her mother’s heritage and she has a big support system in Belize. There’s Marion Jones getting ready for her victory lap.”
Hubert Lawrence
“She dodges a camera goes onto the infield, trying to find somebody, kisses she husband CJ. She shows that even in the worst situation, she is standing by her man and he has come out and has been present and definitely love. A powerful statement and understanding in standing by your love ones through tough times no matter what the situation may be. When things are against you, nothing with you but family and she shows the Belizean flag as well, points out to her Belizean fans in the stadium.”
The next big moment for Marion comes in the wee hours of Friday morning with the finals in the long jump set for two-twenty a.m. Prior to that event, she will be running the first rounds of both the four by one hundred metre relay and four by four hundred metre relay. Following the long jump comes the semi-finals in the four by one hundred. All in all, a very busy night.
