Born October 12, 1975
African American track star whose quest to win multiple medals at the 2000 Olympics made her an international media darling.
Jones was inspired to become a track athlete as a girl watching the late Florence Griffith Joyner. She excelled at the sport in high school which won her a scholarship to North Carolina, where she also played women's basketball. Jones would earn a degree in journalism and continue her althletic career post-college earning nearly a million dollars in prize money in her (nearly) undefeated 1998 track season.
That same year, Jones married shot putter C.J. Hunter.
Marion's dominance of track and supreme physical development lead to rumors of steroid use early in her career but Jones has always tested negative for banned substances. She credits much of her success to her coach, Jamaican Trevor Graham, who trains Jones with men, not other women.
Jones didn't meet her five gold medal goal in Sydney. Instead she won the gold in three events, the 100-meter , the 200 meter, and running third leg in the 4x400 team relay.
She also took home two bronze medals in the long jump, and the 4x100-meter race.
The women's record for track golds at a single Games is four, set in 1948 by Fanny Blankers-Koen of the Netherlands.