Regina Jacobs the Golden One at USA Championships

Regina Jacobs turned out to be the big star at the 1999 USA Outdoor Track and Field Outdoor Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore. June 25-27. Jacobs, 35, was the only double winner at the meet, despite high expectations for such stars as Marion Jones.

Jones, who took gold in the 200 meters (22.10 seconds), lost to Dawn Burrell in the long jump. Burrell jumped a personal best of 22-10, while Jones jumped 23-3. Jones has an automatic berth to the World Championships in the 100, so she did not compete in that event at the national championships.

Jacobs ended up stepping into the spotlight vacated by Jones. She was first in the 5,000 meters in a time of 15:24.80 one day after cruising to victory in the 1,500 meters. That double has never before been accomplished at the USA nationals.

Jacobs won't be able to compete in both events at the World Championships in August. The final of the 1,500 is scheduled just two hours before the first round of the 5,000. Jacobs hasn't announced which event she will run in at the worlds.

Track & Field News ranked Jacobs ranked No. 1 in the U.S. and 10th in the world in the 5,000 last year.

In other high profile events, Maurice Greene won the 200 in 19.93. That time was aided by a 2.3 meters-per-second wind. His personal best in the event is 19.86 set in 1997. Michael Johnson, who holds the world record in the 200 meters, withdrew from the championships because of a strained right quadriceps muscle suffered in practice.

Greene, the world record holder in the 100, has an automatic berth to the World Championships in that event, so he did not run the 100 at the USA meet.

Gail Devers grabbed her fifth U.S. title in the 100-meter hurdles with a wind-aided time of 12.54, a meet record and the fastest this year under any conditions.

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