Marion Jones lost the sprint but won her first attempt at long jump in four years at the Norwich Union indoor meet Friday while Ethiopian Kenenisa Bekele set a new 5,000m world record.
Jones was beaten by Belgian sprinter Kim Gevaert over 60m in her second comeback race. She then went on to win the long jump -- her first since finishing third at the Sydney Olympics -- with a final leap of 6.75m in a weak six person field.
Gevaert set a Belgian record with her run of 7.13 seconds at the National Indoor Arena. Jones finished second with 7.16.
PHOTO: AFP
"I was pleased with my start and then when I got up, the turnover just wasn't there today, but I'm still pleased with the race," Jones said.
"I know I ran faster than I did last week. The young lady to my left [Gevaert] just had a better race but this is a work in progress and hopefully by the time Athens comes around I'll be ready to run."
Jones' longtime rival Zhanna Block, who took the world 100m title from her in 2001, finished fourth with 7.31 seconds. American Angela Daigle was third with 7.27.
Jones was "extremely pleased" with her long jump performance.
"I rushed a little bit on the runway and wasn't composed enough in the air," Jones said. "That was not bad. It was my first jump in four years and my first competition indoors -- to start with 6.75 is OK, I'll take that."
Back in action eight months after becoming a mother, Jones was at her second meet since she gave birth to the son of boyfriend and men's 100m world record holder Tim Montgomery.
The 28-year-old won her comeback 60 meter race at the Millrose Games 13 days ago in a modest 7.21 seconds. Jones won gold in the 100m, 200m and 4x400m in Sydney.
Bekele ran 12 minutes, 49.60 seconds to beat the world indoor record of his training partner and idol, Haile Gebrselassie and win US$30,000.
Gebrselassie's previous mark of 12:50.38 was set in the same Birmingham arena on Feb. 14, 1999.
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