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Jones: 'It's hard to keep a secret'
SYDNEY, Sept 29 (AFP) - Marion Jones, the American sprint queen who was bidding to win five gold medals at the Sydney Olympics here this week, on Friday night hinted for the first time that she came to Australia in the knowledge that her husband, C.J. Hunter, had failed a drugs test in July. Jones, the winner of the 100 and 200 metres earlier in the week, had just had her audacious "Drive for Five" halted by Germany's Heike Drechsler, who won the long jump title, while the American had to settle for bronze. Jones is due to race in both the 4x100 and 4x400 metres relay finals for the United States on Saturday. But after her long jump performance, Jones was asked whether the controversy surrounding her husband had affected her Olympic bid. Hunter, the shot put world champion, tested positive in July for the banned steroid nandrolone. Positive in four drugs tests, in one, Hunter was 1000 times over the limit. "It's hard to keep a secret," Jones said when asked whether she had come to Sydney knowing that storm clouds were gathering around her husband. "Some of you guys were trying to find out a secret." Jones said that she had not spoken with her husband in the hour since her competition ended. As a drug suspended athlete, Hunter is denied official credentials into athlete areas of Olympic venues, although he is allowed to buy tickets in the spectator seats, which is apparently from where he watched Friday night's final. Jones said that Hunter had indicated to her to take pride in her bronze medal. "He gave me the thumbs up," Jones said.
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