Heard Around the Track

July 30, 2001
 

ESPN profiles Marion.
FROM USATF
 

USATF News & Notes
Volume 2,  Number 70    July 30, 2001
 

ESPN's popular new show "The Life," which takes a behind-the-scenes look at 
the lives of successful athletes, next month will feature an entire episode 
on three-time Olympic gold medalist Marion Jones.

The episode will premier on ESPN at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Time on August 4. The 
show is also slated to air at 6:30 p.m. on August 6 on ESPN2, 4:30 p.m. 
August 8 on ESPN, 6:30 p.m. August 8 on ESPN Classic, 1:00 a.m. August 10 on 
ESPN and 8:00 p.m. August 10 on ESPN2.

The producers spent three days with Jones at the 2001 Prefontaine Classic, 
and one day with her in Raleigh, N.C. The show will feature many aspects of 
her life, including a look at the new house she is building in North Carolina.

USA Today compliments Jones

In Monday's USA Today, television sports critic Rudy Martzke praised the 
reporting of Marion Jones during a WNBA telecast over the weekend.

Martzke wrote under the title "Best Debut: Olympic champion Marion Jones 
providing significant information as NBC's reporter on the New York-Houston 
WNBA game."

A journalism/communications major while at the University of North Carolina, 
Jones led the Tar Heels to the NCAA women's basketball title as a point guard 
during her first season in college hoops. She enters the 2001 IAAF World 
Outdoor Championships in Edmonton this week as the two-time defending women's 
100m champion.

ESPN features Jesse Owens 

The man considered to be the greatest track and field athlete in history, 
Jesse Owens, will be the subject Tuesday night of an ESPN "SportsCentury" 
special. The hour-long presentation will air on ESPN Classic at 8:00 p.m. 
Eastern Time.

It was 65 years ago when Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Olympic Games 
in Berlin, flying in the face of Adolf Hitler's notion of Aryan supremacy.

Owens' gold medal victories in the 100 and 200 meters, long jump and 4x100m 
relay are presented in vivid detail. His impact on the world stage is lauded 
in the presentation by family, friends, coaches, athletes, teammates, writers 
and sportscasters. 

The Jesse Owens Award is presented each year at USATF's Annual Meeting to the 
U.S. male and female athletes of the year. Owen's widow Ruth, died earlier 
this month.