RALEIGH, North Carolina, June 30 AP - The world’sfastest baby came much quicker than expected.
Olympic champion Marion Jones and world-record holderTim Montgomery announced the birth of their son, TimMontgomery. The baby was born Saturday night at about10pm at Duke University Hospital and weighed 5 pounds,14 ounces (2.65 kilograms).
Jones, who won five medals at the 2000 Olympics, wasdue to give birth in July.
I am so happy,'' Jones said in a statement releasedby her publicist, Lewis Kay. This is the greatestthing that has ever happened to me. He’s a beautifulbaby, and Tim and I could not be more excited.’’
Montgomery, who set the world record in the 100 metersof 9.78 seconds last September, was at the Norwich UnionInternational race in Glasgow, Scotland, when hereceived news of the birth early Sunday.
He was en route to North Carolina and was disappointedhe could not be there for the birth of his son.
We knew we'd have a fast baby, but I didn't expecthim to be this fast,'' Montgomery said, joking. It wasvery stressful for me not to be right there with Marion.
``We just didn’t think he’d come this soon. But I’mrelieved to know they are both doing very well and Ican’t wait to see them.’’
When Montgomery found out about the birth, he decidednot to run in the race so he could search for ways tofly home. But after an encouraging telephoneconversation with Jones, he decided to run.
Despite one hour of sleep, Montgomery finished secondin the 100 behind Dwain Chambers.
Jones and the baby will remain in the hospital Sunday.She plans to return to the track in September to starttraining for the Athens Olympics in 2004.
This is Jones’ first child. Montgomery has a daughter,Tyhamia, born in 2001.
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