Marion Jones training with Williams-Darling’s coach
Track & Field
Saturday, November 06, 2004
NORFOLK, Virginia (CMC) - Five-time Olympic medallists Marion Jones of the United States is training with Steve Riddick, who is also the coach of Olympic women’s 400 metres champion Tonique Williams-Darling of The Bahamas.
Jones … will focus on running and forget about training for the long jump
The three-time Olympic gold medallist has officially switched to Riddick from Dan Pfaff, who coaches Barbadian Obadele Thompson and Kareem Streete-Thompson of the Caymnan Islands, after her disappointing appearance at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece, where she failed to capture a medal.
Tim Montgomery, Jones’ boyfriend, also trains with Riddick at his academy in Virginia, where Jones herself has been training since October 18.
Riddick, a sprint relay gold medallist at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, said that his new charge would focus on running and forget about training for the long jump.
Riddick becomes the former World champion’s fourth coach in two years after Pfaff, Trevor Graham, and Charlie Francis, who trained Canadian sprinter Ben Johnson.
Williams-Darling credits Riddick for her successful 2004 season, where she not only became Olympic champion, but also won a share of the lucrative US $1 million IAAF Golden League Jackpot.