Jones' jump-start

Marion Jones already had long-jumped into the Olympic final and left the stadium when Allyson Felix settled into the starting blocks.

Felix narrowly missed becoming a teenage gold medalist in the 200 meters, one of the events Jones won four years ago. But Athens is not Sydney, and rising star Felix is not Jones - who was America's sweetheart in 2000 and now is after redemption as much as medals.

``It's a little bit about a gold, but I think to me it's a lot more about coming out here, doing my best in the midst of a hell of a year,'' said Jones, who is the target of a steroid investigation. ``I mean, you can take that how you want it - being able to do your best in the midst of mass chaos.''

Things were much more calm for Felix, 18, who took the silver medal Wednesday in a world junior record of 22.18 seconds.

``Running fast is a long process, I'll just have to be patient,'' she said. ``I'm gradually accepting the fact that I'm the future of USA women's sprinting.''

Jones made a quiet Athens debut, drawing a smattering of applause while advancing to the long jump final by leaping 21 feet, 11§ inches, the seventh-best qualifying jump.

Allen Johnson, meanwhile, attracted the eyes of the entire stadium - for all the wrong reasons.

The four-time world champion and the 1996 Olympic gold medalist made a shocking exit from the second round of the 110-meter hurdles. He tripped over the ninth hurdle, then stumbled face-first underneath the last one - ending up on his belly, glasses flying off his face, as competitors crossed the finish line.

Johnson said it was only the second time in his career he's fallen in a race.

``It was going great, and then I don't know. I just went down. I thought I was in control until I hit that hurdle. I got myself together, but the last one I hit and went down,'' Johnson said. ``I'm fairly disappointed, but it happens. I'll be watching the final. There's nothing I can do.''

He was the latest of several favored Americans who will leave Athens empty-handed - including pole vaulter Stacy Dragila, hurdler Gail Devers, decathlete Tom Pappas and shot putter John Godina.

In the 200, Jamaica's Veronica Campbell held off Felix to win in 22.05 - the fastest time in the world this year. Debbie Ferguson of the Bahamas took bronze in 22.30.

``Veronica executed the curve very well,'' Felix said. ``When I was coming down the stretch, it was a lot of heart and giving it all I had.

``I feel I took a lot away from it. This is just a start for me.''

Not so for Jones, who arrived at the track with little of the celebrity worship that engulfed her in Sydney, where she won more medals than any other female track athlete at one Olympics.

On her first long-jump attempt, Jones licked her lips, then paused for the start of a men's race. She took two quick deep breaths, sped down the runway - and fouled by several inches. She immediately went over to the stands to talk with coach Dan Pfaff.

Jones opened her mouth wide and rolled her tongue around her mouth before her second jump, then took four quick breaths. She propelled herself down the runway and leaped 1§ inches past the automatic qualifying distance of 21-10, advancing to Friday's final.

At the 2000 Sydney Games, Jones already had won gold medals in the 100 and 200 meters when she got a bronze in the long jump. She went on to win two more medals in relays - one gold, one bronze.

But at the U.S. trials this summer, she finished fifth in the 100 and dropped out of the 200, citing fatigue. So her only events here will be the long jump and, it was announced Wednesday, the 400-meter relay.

These games can't end soon enough for Jones, who gave birth to a son 14 months ago, then came under investigation by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency and was accused by her ex-husband of using banned drugs before, during and after the Sydney Games.

``I'm looking forward to jumping on Friday and, you know what, getting on the next plane Saturday and heading home to my little boy, who I've been away from for over three weeks,'' Jones said. ``So things are a lot different than four years ago.''