Ath: Jones to leave Athens empty-handed

AAP General News (Australia)
08-28-2004
Ath: Jones to leave Athens empty-handed

By John Salvado

ATHENS, Aug 28 AAP - Fallen superstar Marion Jones went from five medals to none with
the fumble of a relay baton.

Jones, whose "drive for five" was one of the biggest stories of the Sydney Olympics,
will leave Athens empty-handed after a double disaster last night.

The American started her evening by finishing fifth in the long jump behind a trio
of Russians and Australian Bronwyn Thompson.

And worse was to follow.

Running the second leg of the 4x100m relay final, Jones three times failed to pass
the baton cleanly to Lauryn Williams and the Americans - winners of this event at four
of the last five Games - were disqualified.

Jones' dreadful year, in which she had already been accused of taking performance-enhancing
drugs by former husband CJ Hunter, had just got even worse.

"I just couldn't get it to (Williams)," said Jones, who pledged to bounce back at the
2008 Olympics.

"This is the most we've trained with the relay.

"I think the relay coaches did an excellent job getting us all prepared - you guys
might think that's a joke, but trust me we came into this race prepared.

"I woke up this morning and thought this is not the way I figured the day would end.

"I walk out, I regroup and get ready for next year and that's really it."

Jones won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m and bronze in the long jump and 4x100m
relay in Sydney, but only qualified for the two events in Athens.

Jamaica went on to claim the 4x100m gold medal in 41.73 seconds ahead of Russia and France.

While the heroine of the 2000 Olympics was plumbing the depths, the hosts of the 2008
Games were celebrating an extraordinary double success.

Liu Xiang became the first Chinese male to win an Olympic athletics gold medal, equalling
Briton Colin Jackson's 11-year-old world record of 12.91 seconds in the 110m hurdles.

Within less than an hour, Xing Huina upset the seemingly unbeatable Ethiopians to win
the the women's 10,000 metres.

Liu ran a flawless race over the high hurdles and was beaming with joy with his arms
splayed as he crossed the finish line.

"I was never thinking about the record because I've never even broken 13 seconds in
training," said the bronze medallist from last year's world championships.

"This is not only pride for myself, but for the Asian people."

American Terrence Trammell recovered from a false start to finish second in 13.18 and
reigning world champion Anier Garcia of Cuba was third in 13.20.

Xing's victory in the 10,000m was even more unexpected.

Although she had stuck with the lead group throughout the race, it looked certain to
end in another Ethiopian romp to victory.

But Xing had other ideas, moving to the front in the final straight and holding on
to win in 30:24.36.

Xing, 20, was seventh in the 10,000m at last year's world championships and finished
ninth in the 5,000m in Athens.

Ejagayehu Dibaba was second in the 10,000m in 30:24.98 and her cousin and two-time
former champion Derartu Tulu was third in 30:26.42.

"We did believe we would all be first, second and third for Ethiopia and we didn't
anticipate being beaten by the Chinese runner," admitted the 32-year-old Tulu.

"But I'm older than I was and not as strong, so I found it quite hard going just to
keep up with the other girls."

Marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe of Britain completed a miserable 2004
Games by pulling out with more than nine laps to go in the 10,000m, just as she had seven
days ago in the marathon.

"I promised the medical staff and the people around me that I would go in there and
give myself a chance and if it wasn't there I wasn't going to give myself permanent damage,"

said Radcliffe.

The pace was also way too hot for Australians Benita Johnson and Haley McGregor although
at least they finished the race.

Tatyana Lebedeva of Russia (7.07m) added the long jump gold medal to her triple jump bronze.

Irina Simagina and Tatyana Kotova (both 7.05m) claimed long jump silver and bronze
respectively as Russia completed the first Olympic medals sweep in the event's history.

Timothy Mack (5.95m) edged out fellow American Toby Stevenson (5.90m) to win the men's
pole vault, with the bronze going to Giuseppe Gibilisco of Italy (5.85m).

And Osleidys Menendez of Cuba dominated the women's javelin to take gold with 71.53m
ahead of German Steffi Nerius (65.82m) and Mirela Manjani of Greece (64.29m).

AAP jds/sp

KEYWORD: OLY ATH NIGHTLEAD

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