Pintusevich dethrones Jones at track world championships (08/12/01)

Pintusevich dethrones Jones at track world championships

PARSIPPANY, N.J. - Ukrainian sprinter Zhanna Pintusevich-Block took gold in the women's 100-meter dash at the Track and Field World Championships on August 6, dethroning the reigning Olympic champion, Marion Jones of the United States, who had not lost a 100-meter final in four years.

Pintusevich-Block, the 1997 world champion in the 200 meters, outran Jones in both the semifinal and final races, leaving critics no opportunity to call the race a fluke.

The 29-year-old former Kyiv resident, who now lives in Tennessee with her husband, American track and field agent Mark Block, took an early lead in the final and pulled away from Jones in the last 20 meters, finishing in 10.82 seconds. She then fell to her knees and wept, unable to contain herself after having beaten the one woman she had chased all season.

"I cannot really believe I won," she said, according to The New York Times. "I have been running well the whole season, being really close to Marion, so I knew everything is possible. But only when I beat her in the semis did I realize that I could actually do it."

Although the loss was Jones' first in 42 races, she refused to believe that it represents any indication that she is slowing down. "I didn't expect to win every race of my career," Jones said. "I ran a 10.85 today, so I don't think the world is falling apart. I've won so many races I think I got spoiled somewhat."

"Of course I'm a bit disappointed," she said, "but I'm not a sore loser. I give all the credit to Zhanna. She was the better sprinter today."

Pintusevich-Block placed second behind Jones in their previous two meetings this season in Paris and Lausanne, Switzerland.

With the win came redemption for Pintusevich-Block, who at the 1997 World Championships began to take a victory lap believing she had beaten Jones in the 100-meter final, then collapsed in disappointment as the official results were broadcast, naming Jones the winner by .02 seconds.

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