Who is Marion Jones?
Marion Jones, also known as Marion Jones-Thompson, is a former American champion in track and field and a former pro basketball player. She achieved three gold medals and two bronze medals in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. However, she lost these medals because she admitted to using steroids.
Jones got caught up in the BALCO scandal, which involved more than 20 top athletes, including her ex-husband, C.J. Hunter, who was a shot putter, and Tim Montgomery, who was a 100-meter sprinter and the father of Jones’s first child.
In addition to her track and field career, Jones also played professional basketball as a point guard for the Tulsa Shock team from 2010 to 2011. Marion Jones is a well-known personality in the sports world, with an intriguing life story and significant wealth to her name. Let’s get to know her better!
Bio Data
| Full Name | Marion Jones-Thompson |
| Date Of Birth | October 12, 1975 |
| Age | 48 Years Old |
| Place Of Birth | Los Angeles, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Gender | Female |
| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) |
| Weight | 150 lb (68 kg) |
| Profession | former American champion in track and field |
| Net Worth | $500 Thousand |
| Marital Status | Married |
Biography
Marion Jones was born on October 12, 1975, in Los Angeles to George Jones and Marion, originally from Belize. Her parents split when she was young, and her mom later married Ira Toler, who cared for her and her brother. Jones found solace in sports, excelling in track and basketball by age 15.
She graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1997 and married C.J. Hunter, a shot putter and track coach. They aimed for the 2000 Olympics, where Jones wanted five gold medals. They divorced in 2002.
Jones gave birth to a son with sprinter Tim Montgomery in 2003 and prepared for the 2004 Olympics. Montgomery faced doping charges and a suspension, raising doubts about Jones’s claims of being drug-free.
In 2007, Jones married Obadele Thompson, a Barbadian sprinter, and they had two children. In 2010, she wrote a book about her life, titled “On the Right Track: From Olympic Downfall to Finding Forgiveness and the Strength to Overcome and Succeed.”
Sport Career
In high school, Jones won the e CIF California State Meet in the 100 m sprint four times. She represented Rio Mesa for two years and Thousand Oaks High School for the other two. Attorney Johnnie Cochran defended her against doping charges. She was named Gatorade Player of the Year for track and field three times – once at Rio Mesa and twice at Thousand Oaks. Angela Burnham won the award before her at Rio Mesa, and Kim Mortensen won it after her at Thousand Oaks.
She was the Track and Field News “High School Athlete of the Year” in 1991 and 1992, the third female athlete to earn this title twice.
She was invited to the 1992 Olympic trials but declined after a successful showing. Jones accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of North Carolina and helped win the NCAA championship in her freshman year. She took a break from basketball in 1996 to focus on track but lost her spot on the 1996 Olympic team due to an injury.
In 1997, Jones won the 100 m sprint at the World Championships and finished 10th in the long jump. In 1999, she won a gold in the 100 m, a bronze in the long jump, and got injured in the 200 m at the World Championships.
At the Sydney Olympics, she won three gold medals and two bronze medals but later lost them due to admitting to using performance-enhancing drugs. Her ex-husband Hunter testified to her drug use.
In 2001, she lost the 100 m sprint at the World Championships. She won gold in the 200 m and 4×100 m relay. Jones was upset about her performance at the 2004 Olympics but vowed to continue pursuing her Olympic goals for 2008.
In May 2006, Jones had strong performances in sprint events, including her fastest time in four years. She aimed to win a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics.
More facts about Marion Jones:
In 2009, Jones tried out for the WNBA’s San Antonio Silver Stars. She played college basketball at the University of North Carolina and her team won the national championship in 1994. The Phoenix Mercury drafted her in 2003. In 2010, she joined the Tulsa Shock for around $35,000 in her first season. Jones played 47 games, averaging 2.6 points and 1.3 rebounds per game, but the team let her go in 2011.
Marion Jones appeared in the 2003 film “Top Speed,” which showcased various speed experts, including racers and designers. The film, directed by Greg MacGillivray in IMAX format, focused on her racing experiences and mistakes.
During her career, Jones faced allegations of using drugs to improve her performance.
In 2004, Victor Conte, the founder of BALCO, claimed he provided illegal drugs to Jones for the 2000 Olympics. Documents and testimonies also connected her to banned substances.
In 2006, her urine tested positive for EPO, but her second sample cleared her of doping allegations.
In 2007, Jones admitted to lying under oath about using steroids before the 2000 Olympics and received a two-year suspension, which led to her retirement from track and field.
Jones relinquished her Olympic medals and faced disqualification from competitions. She confronted financial problems and engaged in a check fraud scheme.
In 2008, she received a six-month jail sentence for her role in the fraud case and her use of performance-enhancing drugs. She served her time at the Federal Medical Center in Carswell and was released in September.
Marion Jones’s Net Worth
Marion Jones, an American Olympic gold medalist and ex-pro athlete in track and basketball, has an estimated net worth of $500,000 according to Celebrity Net Worth
FAQ
What does Marion Jones do now?
Fitness fanatic and trainer! Entrepreneur!
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