Two down: Jones wins 200 meters, second gold of Sydney Games

SYDNEY, Australia — Two gold medals for Marion Jones. Two kisses for C.J. Hunter. And one big surprise for Greece.

Jones raced to a lopsided win in the women's 200 meters Thursday, her second gold medal of the Sydney Games. Her quest is to become the first woman to win five golds at a Summer Olympics.

"I'm here for more than two gold medals, I'm here for five," she said. "In a certain way, I am checking them off the list."

With husband Hunter watching from the stands, Jones took an early lead and then pulled away from the field to finish in 21.84 seconds. She won by nearly half a second in a race usually decided by hundredths of seconds.

After winning by the biggest margin in 40 years, Jones took a victory lap — stopping to give her husband two kisses and a hug.

"Some of the words I'd use to describe it are relieved and excited," Jones said. "I think I'm just overall happy that my sprints are over."

In a shocking men's 200 final, Konstantinos Kenteris sped to victory in 20.09 seconds. The Greek sprinter was rarely mentioned among the pre-race favorites, yet he held off Darren Campbell of Britain for the gold medal.

Kenteris became the first Greek man to win an Olympic medal in a running event since 1896. Last weekend, Greece's Ekaterini Thanou got silver in the women's 100.

"I believed in myself from the start. People may be surprised, but I came here to win," Kenteris said. "Greece has finally arrived in athletics."

Campbell won silver in 20.14 seconds and Ato Boldon of Trinidad & Tobago won bronze for the second straight Olympics. Boldon was the silver medalist in the 100 last weekend.

Americans Coby Miller and John Capel finished seventh and eighth in the final. Not counting the 1980 Moscow Games boycotted by the United States, it was the first time since 1928 that Americans have been shut out of the medals in the men's 200.

American favorites Michael Johnson and Maurice Greene were injured in the 200-meter final at the U.S. trials and failed to qualify.

Estonia's Erki Nool won the decathlon after American Chris Huffins faded in the final event — the 1,500 meters. Nool won the gold with 8,641 points. Roman Sebrle of the Czech Republic won silver with 8,606 and Huffins won bronze with 8,595.