Injury May Eliminate U.S. Track Hopeful
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) _ Marion Jones' quest for five gold medals at the Sydney Games just got a lot easier.
Inger Miller, second to Jones in the 100 and 200 meters at the U.S. trials and considered one of Jones' chief rivals in both events, will miss the 100 and is questionable for the rest of the games because of a leg injury.
Miller said Wednesday that she strained her left hamstring while training Sept. 7, two days before leaving for Sydney. She said she still hopes to run the 200 and the 400-meter relay next week.
"It's been a difficult decision for me," Miller said. "I have three events, and so in making that decision, I didn't want to jeopardize my other events.
"I'm hoping a few more days will help me heal and I'll be able to run the 200 and the relay."
The first round of the 200 will be Sept. 27.
Miller said she has been training and is now able to run without pain, but crouching in starting blocks remains a problem. She hopes that problem will disappear in the next few days and be gone before the 200.
"I'm disappointed that I am not following my plan, but I've got to go with the flow," she said. "I'm still young and I've got other chances. I think by Wednesday things will look a little bit brighter for me."
Miller had been having back spasms for a couple of days before feeling a sharp pain in her hamstring while running a 60-meter training run on Sept. 7 on the UCLA track.
"I went to the ground. It was one of those things where I was crying," she said. "It was pretty dramatic."
The injury to Miller, a silver medalist in the 100 at the 1999 world championships, was the latest blow to a U.S. track team that had already lost two other athletes with strong possibilities of earning medals in Sydney.
C.J. Hunter, world champion in the shot put and Jones' husband, is out following arthroscopic knee surgery. Regina Jacobs, among the favorites in the women's 1,500, had to withdraw because of a respiratory ailment.
Miller, who won the world championship in the 200 last year after Jones dropped out because of a back injury, has been battling with Jones since the two were in high school in southern California a decade ago.
Miller ranks second in the world to Jones in the 100 and 200, and had been considered one of the biggest roadblocks to Jones sweeping those events.
"Last year when I was very successful in the 100 and 200 meters at the world championships, I did not ask the Lord, 'Why me?' " Miller said. "So I'm not going go ask 'Why me?' now."
Miller will be replaced in the 100 by HSI track club teammate Torri Edwards, who finished fourth in that event at the U.S. trials. Edwards also finished fourth in the 200 at the trials, so would be a likely replacement if Miller cannot compete in that race.
The runners who could take Miller's place on the relay are Edwards, Nanceen Perry, Carlette Guidry and Passion Richardson.
(Copyright 2000 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
