University of North Carolina Athletics
Marion Jones Wins 100-Meter Title in Spain
August 23, 1999 | Track & Field
Aug. 23, 1999
The Associated Press
Seville, Spain -- The track was lightning fast - and so was Marion Jones.
Jones kept the gold-medal run going in her family on Sunday, matching the victory of her husband, shot putter C.J. Hunter on Saturday, in winning her second consecutive women's 100 in 10.70. Her time equaled the sixth fastest in history.
Jones, the former UNC standout who lives in Apex and trains at N.C. State, didn't come close to a world record - Florence Griffith Joyner's 10.49 - but she did run the world's fastest time of 1999 and broke the championship record of 10.76 she set in Saturday's quarterfinals. Only Jones and Griffith Joyner ever have run faster than 10.72 - FloJo four times and Jones seven.
As usual, Jones was not the fastest out of the blocks, but she quickly assumed control and ran her usual powerful race, beating Inger Miller by just more than a meter.
"Coming off the victory by C.J. last night, I'm very excited to win," the ebullient Jones said. "The goal for the week was to get five gold medals in the family."
Hunter, who began the gold rush, roared from the stands after his wife's victory.
Jones will have to do the rest of the family work. She is seeking an unprecedented four golds - in the 100, 200, long jump and a relay.
"I nailed my start today," Jones said. "That was perhaps the reason I pulled off the victory. I knew that Inger was running extra fast. But I put it all together and executed my race."
