University of North Carolina Athletics
Car-O-Lines
August 18, 2000 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 18, 2000
By Rick Brewer
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One of the greatest thrills of her athletic career came in a split second.
A fraction of a second will likely be the determining factor in an even bigger one.
"Everything I do now concerns seconds," said Marion Jones recently. "So there really is a parallel to the national championship in basketball we won at Carolina. That will always be one of the greatest thrills in my life."
The seconds to which Jones is now paying attention are the brief ones it takes her to run 100 and 200 meters. The world's fastest woman at this time, Jones will be one of the main focal points at the Summer Olympics in Sydney this September.
Jones, of course, will be attempting to do something that no track athlete, male or female, has ever accomplished - win five Gold Medals in one Olympiad. She will be running the 100 meters and 200 meters, will be part of the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams and also compete in the long jump.
In 1994 she was the star freshman point guard on a Carolina basketball team which posted a 32-2 record and won the NCAA title in probably the most dramatic game in Tournament history. Charlotte Smith's three-pointer off an in-bounds play with 0.7 seconds to play gave the Tar Heels a 60-59 victory over Louisiana Tech.
Jones was a brilliant playmaker, averaging 14.1 points as a freshman and handing out 105 assists. She shot 52.9 percent from the field and also averaged 4.1 rebounds. Her speed and quickness made her a tenacious defender and almost impossible to stop in the open court.
But, basketball and the other team sports take a backseat to the individual sports such as track, swimming and gymnastics at the Olympics.
While athletes like Olga Korbut, Mary Lou Retton, Mark Spitz, Janet Evans and Greg Louganis have gained fame for their Olympic accomplishments, track and field has usually produced the biggest stars.
Track and field is one of the last events of the Games. The competition takes place in the biggest venue. Plus, there the Olympic tradition centers on these events. When the Olympics first started in ancient Greece, they mainly consisted of track and field competition.
Jones is heading to Sydney well-prepared, physically and mentally.
"I'm going to the biggest meet of my life in the best shape of my life," she said. "I want to enjoy the Olympic experience. I'm really looking forward to the opening ceremonies. It marks the beginning of something special.
"I'll have my camcorder to get pictures of all the other athletes marching into the stadium, the dancing, the celebration. I also want to see some of the other competition?the wrestling and women's soccer, in particular. Carolina is so well represented in these Games, especially in track and soccer. I've talked to Mia (Hamm) about the experience and I want to see her, Kristine (Lilly) and the other soccer players in action."
She will have time to see other competition. The Games open on September 15 and her first race isn't until the 100- meter trials on the 22nd. Once her competition does begin, she'll be very busy.
"The important thing in Sydney will be to take things a day at a time," she said. "Once I start competing, I'll have to get plenty of rest, stay hydrated and not worry about what I'll be doing the next day. Get through each day before thinking about the next one.
"There's obviously going to be responsibilities to the media and I'll have to work those into my schedule, as well."
A communications major at Carolina, Jones should have no trouble with those duties. She's articulate, has a great smile and will say what she thinks. Plus, she tries to be on time for all her media sessions. At a recent media event for the North Carolina press, she was the first of five participants to arrive and gave the local writers and broadcasters two hours of her time.
The possibility of winning five Gold Medals isn't one that seems to bother her.
"It's interesting how that idea took off," she smiled. "I originally said I wanted to be in the five events. Sure, I wanted to win them, but my goal was to qualify for them."
However, the story mushroomed quickly into Jones going for five Golds and, with her effervescent personality, it hasn't bothered her.
"I know there are going to be skeptics if I don't win five," she admitted. "But, if I do win five and don't run a particular time, there's also going to be skepticism.
"When you reach the Olympics, there are going to be plenty of challenges. I'm aware there are other people running very well. It would be boring if there weren't. Athletes like to compete and I'm going to have great competition in Sydney."
Jones knows the outcome there will be decided by a matter of seconds. But, that's something she dealt with years ago as a freshman at Carolina. She's hoping things in Sydney go as well as they did then.
