 
Marion Jones, Olympic athleteThough Jones fell short of her Olympic dream, this runner is still a winner All eyes were on Marion Jones this past summer at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia - but if you blinked, you might have missed her. Marion, one of the fastest women in the world, set her sights on a goal that had never before been achieved by a woman: to win five gold medals in the same Olympic games. Although Jones did not win the five gold medals she had hoped for, she did bring home five medals, three gold and two bronze. This made her the first woman since the late Florence Griffith-Joyner - one of Jones' biggest role models - to take home three gold medals in track and field in a single Olympiad. Her road to becoming the fastest woman alive started at age 7, when she began running in organized track and field. By age 8 she was determined to become an Olympic champion and practiced by racing other kids in her neighborhood. As a high school basketball star, she scored an average of 23 points per game. Upon entering the University of North Carolina, Jones decided to pursue both of her athletic passions, track and basketball. After only her first spring track season, Jones placed second in the long jump at the NCAA track and field championships and became an All-American in four events. Various injuries forced her to give up basketball and focus her attention on track. At 25, Jones remains the second-fastest woman in history in the 100- and 200-meter races (behind Flo Jo). Her sights are now set on the 2004 Olympic games - will she win another five? |
