Jones unstoppable in 200 meters

Sprinter hasn't lost final since May, 1995

? Marion Jones still can’t be beaten in the 200 meters.

Jones pulled away from Kelli White in the final few meters to win her fifth straight national 200 title Sunday. Her time of 22.35 seconds was second fastest in the world this year. Only Jones herself has run faster.

Jones, who won an unprecedented five medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, has not lost a 200 final since May 7, 1995. That streak includes the 1999 World Championships, where she injured her back in the 200 semifinals and did not compete in the final.

On Saturday, Jones won her fourth national title in the 100.

Jones has been invincible in both sprints since finishing second to Zhanna Pintusevich-Block of Ukraine in the 100 final last summer at the world championships.

“My confidence is back, not that I ever lost it. But, without a doubt, if you lose a race when you don’t lose all that often, it’s bound to stir you up a bit and I think it did last year,” Jones said.

Jones planned to visit Alcatraz today, then fly to Europe for the summer track season.

Gail Devers won her fourth straight U.S. title in the women’s 100-meter hurdles Sunday with a time of 12.51 seconds, best in the world this year. She has won the national title in eight of 12 years.

Allen Johnson won his third straight title in the men’s 110-meter hurdles in 13.08, second fastest in the world this year. He has won five national titles in the last seven years.

Stacy Dragila won the women’s pole vault for the fourth straight year, but missed three attempts at 15 feet, 93â4 inches that would have broken her world record.

Dragila, who has five titles in the six years since the event debuted at the national championships, cleared 15-3 for the victory. Her world record, set last year at Stanford, remains 15-91â4.

“I wanted to put the bar up at the world record and get some good shots at it,” she said. “It’s nice to see that things are coming along as I’m making my way over to Europe to see my real competition.”

There were 16 other finals Sunday as the three-day U.S. Championships concluded.

Regina Jacobs won the women’s 1,500 for the eighth time in nine years. It was her 11th national title at that distance, and her 15th overall she also has three U.S. crowns at 5,000 meters and one at 800.

Seneca Lassiter won the 1,500, his first national title since 1997.

Sandra Glover won her fourth straight U.S. title in the women’s 400-meter hurdles, James Carter won the men’s 400 hurdles, Nathan Leeper won his second straight title in the men’s high jump, and Walter Davis won the men’s triple jump.

Jearl Miles Clark won her fourth national title in the women’s 400, and Alvin Harrison won the men’s 400. Ramon Clay won the men’s 200, Adam Setliff won his third straight national title in the men’s discus, and Anna Mahon won the women’s hammer.

David Krummenacker won the men’s 800 for the second straight year, and Nicole Teter won the women’s 800. Elizabeth Jackson won the women’s 3,000 steeplechase in 9 minutes, 47.35 seconds, the fastest time ever run on American soil.