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Reactions: Marion Jones Will be a tough task to break Flo-Jo's record
Posted: Thursday February 10, 2000 02:19 PM
CNNSI.com asked users where Marion Jones will fit into the history of women in track and field. Most users thought for Jones to win five gold medals in Sydney she will have to improve her long jump technique. Some of the most interesting responses follow:
I know that Marion Jones is one of history's best female athletes, but she will not win five golds or even four. Even with all her talent, that nasty jumping technique will never beat Fiona May. And did anyone see the 200 final in Seville? Two words -- Inger Miller. Her 21.77 proved Miller is no longer interested in being America's backup for Marion. But Marion's biggest challenge will be explaining why she didn't get half as many gold medals as she said she would...again.
Despite the fact that she hasn't broken Florence Griffith Joyner's 100m record, she is one of the greatest female track stars of all times. And I sincerely believe that she will break Flo-Jo's record in the 100m and will win five gold metals at Sydney.
Marion is a consistent winner who thrives on challenges. Jones may be setting her goals very high for the Sydney Olympics, but that's the best way to prepare herself. She has the youth, the talent and the determination to break the 200- and, possibly, the 100-meter records held by Flo-Jo. And any relay team that could boast a combo of Jones, Gail Devers, and Inger Miller would be tough to beat. Marion WILL win more than one gold medal in Sydney....but five? I wouldn't bet against her.
I believe that Marion Jones has about as much of chance of getting five gold medals in Sydney as she did before her back spasms. She's the type of runner (and jumper) that only gets better with time. She is dedicated and talented sprinter. This injury shouldn't hurt her confidence. She may even be mentally stronger as a result.
Marion Jones is one of the most talented athletes ever. There is no doubt in my mind that she is fully capable of winning five golds at the Sydney Olympics, providing she doesn't rely on talent alone. Injuries are always a problem and can happen at any given stage. I do believe though that Marion has an absolutely shocking long jump technique. If she wants to win the long jump she will have to work on that. Sheer speed alone is not nearly enough as she found out in Seville. As to Marion beating Flo-Jo's records -- records were made to be broken and Marion seems the only one capable at present to rewrite the record books.
I personally think that Marion Jones is going to be the greatest female athlete who ever lived but will not break Flo-Jo's records. A living example of this is Carl Lewis who dominated but never held the world records for long. She is definitely good enough to win four gold medals and if she improves on her landing, might even break the long jump record. The one gold that I think will elude her is the 4x400m relay.
Marion Jones charges down the runway and gets absolutely no height off the board. With all her speed, it still takes great coaches to make great athletes. She has a great sprint coach in North Carolina, but as I see it, no long jump coaching. My money is on Inger Miller in the dashes.
I think that if Marion Jones can overcome that back injury, she will dominate the sprints at the Olympics this summer. However, she needs to polish her technique in the long jump and develop an effective landing to get that medal.
She can become one of the greatest -- if not the greatest female track and field athlete of all time, if AND only IF she can master the technical nuances of the long jump. What's it going to take? Maybe looking at people/coaches outside of her training group, maybe even Bob and Jackie Joyner-Kersee.
Think Marion Jones will live up to the "hype"! First of all she is much younger than Florence Griffith Joyner was when she broke the 100 meter record. Anyway, records were made to be broken. If Micheal Johnson could come back from his injuries and perform on the level he did in Atlanta in 1996, Marion can do it in 2000. I feel that her youth brings more time to build her strength to be ready for the 2000 Olympics. For the past few years this young woman has rapidly blasted her way to the top of the track and field world. As long as she remains focused she can come back from her injury stronger then ever before. I definitely respect her as a world class athlete. With great focus and hard core training she will be ready to face the rest of the world in Sidney. I just wonder if they will be ready to face her. Finally let us not forget the records she has already broken as a professional runner.
While I believe that Marion Jones is one of the most talented athletes ever, she has not yet developed the stamina nor the mental toughness coupled with the experience necessary to cope with the pressures associated with winning five Olympic gold medals. She will be hard pressed by the former Cuban and Nigerian athletes to win the long jump and her teammate Inger Miller among others should test her mantle in the sprints. Marion should stick to the short sprints only, and then maybe she would have a chance at breaking Flo-Jo's monstrous records.
Marion Jones is capable of winning each of the five events she is planning to enter. Whether she can actually win all five depends on whether her body holds up for five events. She should test her body at the Olympic trial and reexamine her plan based on her experience there.
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