U.S. surrenders soccer gold; Jones triumphs

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2000 | 11:05 a.m.

SUN WIRE REPORTS

SYDNEY, Australia -- Olympic history, the sequel.

A happy tale for Marion Jones, winner of the second track and field gold of the unprecedented five she's chasing. A sad story for the defending champion U.S. women's soccer team -- it lost 3-2 in overtime to Norway, squandering a chance to win its second straight gold.

Jones pulled away from the world's best sprinters in today's 200-meter final as if she was turbocharged.

Under intense scrutiny both because of her quest for five track golds at one Summer Games -- something no woman has ever achieved -- and for the revelation that her shot-putter husband tested positive for steroids, Jones seemed completely at ease as she sped to the finish line in 21.84 seconds.

She stopped to kiss and hug husband C.J. Hunter, watching from the stands, after the race. Hunter has denied he knowingly took drugs to improve his performance.

Off the track, Jones got some good news when world-class U.S. sprinter Inger Miller said she would be back from a hamstring injury to compete in the 400-meter relay on Friday.

Jones also is part of the 1,600 relay team and is in the long jump final Friday.

In women's soccer, Norway won a dramatic gold medal game.

Dagny Mellgren scored in the 12th minute of sudden death, knocking a 7-yard shot to the left of U.S. goalkeeper Siri Mullinix. The American managed to get a hand on the ball, but couldn't deflect it enough to keep it out of the net.

Norway had been ahead 2-1 in regulation play, but Tiffeny Milbrett tied with virtually no time left, heading in a long cross from Mia Hamm.

The victory puts the Norwegians on roughly equal footing with the U.S. women in international soccer. Norway also won the 1995 World Cup, while the Americans were 1991 and '99 World Cup champions and won the gold in Atlanta four years ago.