by Greg Heakes
LOS ANGELES, May 22 (AFP) - Marion Jones and MauriceGreene got the extra push they needed on Saturday.
Jones and Greene benefitted from strong tailwinds asthey easily raced to 100m victories at the Home Depot Invitational meet onSaturday.
Two-time world champion Jones finished in a wind-aided10.99 seconds then completed her second double in asmany meets as she leaped 7.13 metres to capture the longjump.
I am pleased with the time in the 100 and the longjump,'' Jones said. To hit the seven metres club isalways a good thing, regardless of the wind.’’
The American sprint queen beat 100m runner-up AngelaDaigle by .18 of a second while LaKeisha Backus wasthird in 11.23.
Jones exploded out of the blocks and led from start tofinish while getting help from a favorable wind of 4.4metres per second.
Earlier this month, Jones won both the 100m and thelong jump at the Jamaican International Invitationalmeet. She improved upon her winning time in Kingston by.05 of a second in her triumph here.
In her first outdoor race of 2004, Jones finished adisappointing fourth in 200m at last month’s Mount San Antonio College Relays.
I am right where I want to be,'' said Jones, who isjust getting back into regular competition after givingbirth a year ago. I had a little bit of a layoff lastyear, but now I am excited. My goal is gold in Athens.’’
But Jones is growing tired of answering questionsabout the doping scandal that has sent shudders throughthe US track and field community. She couldn’t escapequestions about the ongoing doping probe on Saturday.
She did not want to comment on a San Jose Mercury Newsreport on Saturday that Greene’s coach John Smith metand signed a confidentiality agreement in 2001 with California-based Bay Area LaboratoryCo-operative (BALCO) owner Victor Conte.
Story, schmory - I am not listening to it,'' Jonessaid prior to her race. Jones, a Los Angeles native, thanked the Los Angelesfans for their support over the years. This crowd knows the true Marion. I grew up in frontof you. You know what’s going on,’’ Jones said.
According to an Internal Revenue Service report, Jonesand her partner Tim Montgomery also allegedly received abanned substances from BALCO.
Conte allegedly told investigators that Jones andMontgomery were among the 27 elite athletes he provided with steroids, althoughConte has denied making such a statement.
Jones and Montgomery have never tested positive andhave denied taking banned drugs.
Greene, the Sydney Olympic gold medallist, won the100m in a wind-aided 9.86sec, finishing well ahead of runner-up Doc Patton(9.96). Rae Edwards placed third in 10.04.
I have to run well in Los Angeles,'' said Greene,who had a tailwind of 4.6 metres per second. This ismy home here in California. Maurice is the greatest ofall-time.’’
Greene, who also won here in 2003, took off his shoesafter crossing the finish line and placed them on thetrack to be hosed down with a fire extinguisher.
Today was a preview of what's going to happen,''Greene said. The wind was pushing me and I had to rusha little bit.
``I’m satisfied because it was only my fourth racethis year.’’
Hussein Al-Sabee, of Saudi Arabia, dominated the men’slong jump by leaping 8.41 metres. American Bryan Johnson was second with ajump of 7.84.
Jamaica’s Brandon Simpson clocked 45.56sec in themen’s 400m to edge out American Calvin Harrison (45.57).
In the women’s 100m hurdles, Melissa Morrison won witha time of 12.44, beating fellow Americans Gail Devers(12.52) and Miesha McKelvy (12.62). Canadian starPerdita Felicien was fourth in 12.70.
Toby Stevenson won the men’s pole vault (5.60m) whileTim Mack placed second (5.50m)