Montgomery Says Jones Plans Sept. Return

Olympic champion Marion Jones plans to make her comeback barely two months after giving birth to her first child.

Tim Montgomery, the baby’s father, said Thursday that Jones had trained throughout her pregnancy and was eager to return to the track. Her aim is to run the 100 meters at the Sept. 5 Golden League meet in Belgium.

“She’s going to be in Brussels, to race,” Montgomery said.

“I can’t say 100 percent because anything can happen. But the way she’s going and she’s training, she’ll be back ready. She’s happy, she’s getting ready. She’s excited.

“She trained right through, she was doing starts when she was pregnant. She’s a champion. She knows if she’s not ready, she’ll stay home.”

Jones gave birth a month early to a boy, Tim Montgomery, on June 28.

She won five medals at the 2000 Sydney Games, including golds in the 100 meters, 200 and 1,600 relay. A year later, she lost her 100-meter world championship crown to Zhanna Block of Ukraine.

Montgomery said the baby was doing well and had a successful checkup Tuesday. But it didn’t stop him from worrying.

“It’s been one month, how is he? Is his heart right, is that right, because it’s so important. This child has so much pressure on it. This child is supposed to be the world’s fastest child.”

Montgomery was speaking before the Crystal Palace meet in London on Friday, his last tuneup before the world championships in Paris from Aug. 23-31. He said Jones would be watching in Paris.

Montgomery set the world record in the 100 of 9.78 seconds last September, and was part of the American 400 relay team that won the gold medal in Sydney.