TRACK AND FIELD TAC CHAMPIONSHIPS ROUNDUP : Jones Sets National Prep Mark in the 200

NEW YORK â€”  After dominating high school track as a sophomore this year at Oxnard Rio Mesa, Marion Jones made an impressive debut against the collegians and professionals in the USA/Mobil Outdoor Championships at Downing Stadium.

Jones, 15, became the youngest finalist at the national championships in 18 years Friday, when she finished eighth in the 100 meters. On Saturday, she also qualified for the 200-meter final by running 23.13 in the semifinals.

Three hours later, running against a field that included three of the five highest-ranked Americans from 1990 and into a slight headwind, she finished fourth in 22.76, breaking Chandra Cheeseborough’s 16-year-old national high school record of 22.77.

She just missed a berth on the U.S. team that will compete Aug. 24-Sept. 2 at the World Championships in Tokyo, since only the first three in each event earn invitations. Gwen Torrence won in 22.38. The favorite, Carlette Guidry, withdrew after winning the 100 Friday.

The men’s 200 was perhaps the most eagerly anticipated race even before Leroy Burrell broke the world record Friday by running the 100 meters in 9.90. Whereas Burrell beat one of his closest friends, Carl Lewis, in that race, he faced a rival, Michael Johnson, in the 200.

But Burrell came back to earth Saturday. He barely qualified for the final when he finished fourth in the semifinals. Although he started fast in the final, he faded in the last 100 meters and finished second in 20.42. Running into a strong headwind, Johnson won in 20.31.

“It was really, really hard to focus on what I had to do today,� Burrell said.

Johnson, ranked No. 1 in the world last year in the 200 and the 400, acted as if he didn’t know what all the fuss was about Burrell’s 100 record.

“This race is over twice the distance, and he hasn’t shown me anything yet,� Johnson said.

Julie Jenkins, who was hit by a van while crossing a street Thursday in midtown Manhattan, advanced to the women’s 800 final despite a bruised collarbone, bruises on her left leg, strained knee ligaments and considerable emotional stress.

“I start to put it out of my mind, and then I see myself looking at the driver’s eyes,� she said Friday, still unable to contain her tears.

In Saturday’s final, she had additional problems. After hanging with the pack through 600 meters, she literally staggered to the finish line, which she crossed in last place in 2:06.32.

Seven of the eight runners, included Jenkins, collapsed at the finish, probably as a result of the 91-degree temperature, high humidity and pollution from traffic on the nearby Triborough Bridge. Delisa Floyd won in 1:59.82.

Another hard-luck story involved 1,500-meter runner Terrance Herrington, but this one has a happy ending.

When another runner fell in front of him about 600 meters into Friday’s 1,500 semifinal, Herrington stumbled over him. He jumped to his feet and finished, but he failed to qualify.

Herrington filed an appeal to run in Saturday’s final, but officials from The Athletic Congress, which governs track and field in the United States, initially disallowed it.

“I was up all last night, crying,� he said.

But Saturday afternoon, about four hours before the final, TAC reconsidered and ruled that Herrington had been obstructed. He made the most of his second chance, overtaking Steve Scott and Joe Falcon in the stretch to win in 3:40.72. Scott was second in 3:41.14.

Jackie Joyner-Kersee was the meet’s only double-champion. After winning the heptathlon Thursday, she finished first in the women’s long jump Saturday at 22-8. . . . The meet’s biggest upset was turned in by Florida State’s Kim Batten, who ran 54.18 in the women’s 400-meter intermediate hurdles to beat Sandra Farmer-Patrick. UCLA’s Janeene Vickers was third. . . . In the men’s intermediate hurdles, Danny Harris won in this year’s fastest time, 47.62. Kevin Young, formerly of UCLA, was second in 47.94.

Suzy Favor Hamilton and PattiSue Plumer traded elbows just before the final turn in the women’s 1,500. Hamilton emerged with the lead and the victory in 4:06.13. Plumer was second in 4:06.59. Cal State Northridge’s Darcy Arreola was third in 4:09.32. . . . USC’s Quincy Watts outdueled Danny Everett, formerly of UCLA, to finish third in the men’s 400. Watts was timed in 44.98, Everett in 45.04. Antonio Pettigrew won in 44.36.

Now that TAC has crossed the line in the sand drawn by the International Amateur Athletic Federation by allowing suspended quarter-miler Butch Reynolds to run here, the IAAF has drawn another line.

In informing TAC Saturday that no action would be taken for this breach of the rules, the IAAF sent a “strong warning� that said: “Any repetition would inevitably endanger the participation of American athletes in major world competitions, including the World Championships and the Olympic Games.�

Calling Reynolds’ participation here “unlawful,� the IAAF also said it will rule in August on whether to extend his suspension. He was was banned for two years after testing positive for an anabolic steroid last August.

The world record-holder at 400 meters, Reynolds won a federal arbitrator’s decision that enabled him to compete here. He finished seventh in his heat Thursday and did not advance to the semifinals.

Reynolds signed up Saturday for the July 12-21 U.S. Olympic Festival in Los Angeles, but TAC officials were insistent that he would not be allowed to participate.