Marion Jones, and Martina Hingis, two of my favorite female athletes of yesteryears, that is before Maria came to limelight, have hit the rock bottom with their doping controversy.
I still remember the 2000 Olympics vividly when Marion Jones shot to fame with three gold medals. The tall and gracious American with a lovely smile was a treat to watch. The elegance in her long jump was uncanny. She ruled the Sydney Olympics, and was the true champion on track. The first woman to win five medals at one Olympics.
Marion’s childhood was marred by unpleasant events, with her own father, George Jones, disowning her. Her step father died of a stroke. The anger was vent on track with young Marion, at age 15, winning 200 meters race clocking 22.87 seconds, breaking the national high school record. Jones’ track future was jeopardized when she failed to show up for a random drug test (the letter notifying her of the test never reached her), and she was banned from the sport for four years. She took up Basketball, and starred even in that. Was brought back to track by her coach and husband CJ Hunter, whom she married in 1998 and divorced in 2001.
Her 2004 Olympics was a mere participation, i watched her intently without much happening. I was disappointed, wondered what happened to Marion Jones of 2000.
Only recently her use of performance enhancing drugs in the Sydney Olympics came to light. In October 2007 Jones announced her retirement from track. She confessed to making false statements during two different government drug investigations. On 11th January 2008, Jones was sentenced to six months in prison for lying about steroid use and a lucrative cheque fraud case. The IOC formally stripped Marion Jones of her five Olympic medals.
Martina Hingis, Swiss miss and the princess of WTA. The youngest player to win Wimbledon Championships. She was a darling, with superb agility. Defeating Jana Novotná, Hingis won her first Wimbledon title. Unlike Marion Jones, Martina was born to two accomplished tennis players: mother, Melanie Molitorová, and father Karol Hingis. In 1993, 12-year-old Hingis became the youngest player to win a Grand Slam junior title: the girls’ singles at the French Open. Soon Hingis became the youngest player in the Open Era (1968-present) to win the singles title at Wimbledon when she won in 1997 at the age of 16 years, 9 months, and 5 days. She was also the first Swiss woman ever to win Wimbledon.
Martina came back from her earlier announced retirement to professional tennis in 2005 and won few major titles, including Australian Open mixed doubles with Mahesh Bhupathi in 2006.
Martina was banned for two years on January 4th 2008 after testing positive for cocaine at the All England Club. This was after she retired from professional Tennis in November 2007. Such a disgraceful exit for the wonderful tennis player.
These two superstar athletes having been at the pinnacle of their sport making such a disgraceful exit is disheartening. At least Martina’s cocaine usage could be excused as many believe cocaine would not enhance the performance in a sport like tennis, but Marion Jones’ use of performance enhancing drugs for winning the 100m, 200m, long jump and other events in Olympics is unpardonable and is a shame. Hopefully Marion Jones’ imprisonment will serve as epitome to other athletes discouraging them from the use any kind of banned substances in future.
Below is the clip of Marion Jones’ Sydney Olympics 100m race, very enthralling to watch even if you know she used drugs.
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