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Jones leads chase for $1 million jackpot

American sprint queen Marion Jones led the chase towards a 1 million dollars jackpot as she cruised to her 20th consecutive 200 metre victory at the Golden League meeting.

Last night began with only four athletes Jones, Wilson Kipketer, Gabriela Szabo and Bernard Barmasai still in the running for athletics' big prize and ended the same way, with all four collecting wins.

After four of seven Golden League meetings Jones's share of the $1 million jackpot is looking more and more like money in the bank as the 23-year-old American, coasted to an easy win in 22.15 seconds to remain unbeaten in major competition since 1997.

'They pushed me a little bit today,'' said Jones, who is aiming for four gold medals at the World Championships in Seville later this month.

''Inger (Miller) has been running well but the win is the most important thing.''

Kipketer, the 800 metres World record holder, kept his hopes of sharing in the jackpot alive but needed a season-best time of 1:42.57 to stay in the hunt.

Japheth Kimutai, who nearly put an early end to Kipketer's bid for a big payday in Rome where he also pushed the Dane to a then season best effort, once again was the main threat but faded in the final few metres, crossing in 1:43.09.

''It's a world best performance and I'm so happy,'' said Kipketer, who made a triumphant return to competition on the same Stade Louis II track last year after missing most of the season battling malaria.

''I'm taking it one race at a time so I'm not thinking about the jackpot yet.''

World record holder Barmasai also stormed to a season best in the 3,000m steeplechase, crossing almost 12 seconds clear of Christopher Kosei in 7:58.98.

Szabo, who was forced to run a season best in the 3,000 metres in Paris two weeks ago, had a much easier time here, crossing 20 metres and two seconds clear of her nearest challenger, World champion Carla Sacramento of Spain.

With three laps to go, the diminutive Romanian moved into the lead but was stalked by Sacramento, Portugal's 10,000 metre Olympic champion Fernanda Ribeiro and the world's top woman road runner Tegla Lorupe of Kenya.

The three women remained firmly on Szabo's shoulder until the final 200 metres when the 5,000 metre World champion produced a devastating kick which powered her to victory in eight minutes, 28.36 seconds.

''I'm not confident about the jackpot,'' said Szabo. ''There are three more competitions and this event is difficult for me. I think it's more difficult for me than someone in the 100 metres.''

Hot, muggy conditions wilted World record attempts by the latest Kenyan sensation Noah Ngeny in the 1,500 metres and Daniel Komen in the 3,000 metres.

Ngeny, who pushed Hicham el Guerrouj to the mile record in Rome and narrowly missed Sebastian Coe's long standing 1,000m record a few weeks later in Nice, was chasing the 1,500m record but had to settle for a well-earned victory and a time of 3:29.79.

Komen, looking to better his own 3,000 metre record of 7:20.67 also fell well short clocking 7:28.67.

Maurice Greene, the 100 metre World record holder, gave the United States a sweep of the sprints, going under 20 seconds for the first time this season as he took the 200 metres in 19.92 ahead of double Olympic silver medallist Frankie Fredericks.

An eventful meeting concluded with South Africa's Hestrie Cloete sailing to a season best of 2.04 metres in the high jump and russian pole vaulter Maksim Tarasov clearing the magical 6.0 metre barrier.

Romania's Violeta Szekely demonstrated she is well over the broken ankle that delayed the start of her season, pipping Swiss Anita Weyermann in the final five metres to win the 1,500 metres in the year's best time of 4:01.49.

UNI