(NEW YORK) — Marion Jones is opening up about her new life as she emerged into the spotlight for a career reboot.
She was once considered the fastest woman in the world and a household name during the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.
However, in 2008, Jones was sentenced to six months in prison, two years of supervised release and 800 hours of community service after pleading guilty to charges of lying to federal investigators in 2003 over using performance-enhancing drugs. She adamantly denied the allegations for years at first.
Along with the conviction, she was also stripped of the five medals — three gold and two bronze track and field medals — she earned at the Sydney Olympics.
Two decades later, the all-round athlete with a tumultuous journey is now gearing up for her second chance.
During an interview with ABC News’ Good Morning America co-anchor Robin Roberts, Jones, now a mother of three, reflected on whether she believes she would have been able to achieve the medals without using performance-enhancing drugs.
“The answer’s very easy for me: 1000%,” Jones told Roberts. “And that’s what makes it very hard. I was blessed with just an enormous amount of talent… But knowing that it didn’t need to happen the way that it did always will stick with me as a moment that is hard.”
Jones was released from prison in September 2008 and has since led a quiet life. She told Roberts she needed the time away to reflect on “why certain choices were made.”
“When I was in 49 days of solitary confinement, right, and I was sitting there saying, ‘Okay, Marion,'” Jones said. “Like, again, ‘You could allow all of this to just put you under. Or you can use what your mom has always said about you, that you’re something special, and that you’re unique.’…I was not gonna allow my poor choices to waste her dream.”
Putting those thoughts into fruition, she is now focusing on helping others emerge stronger while overcoming obstacles by embarking on a new coaching initiative.
“Well, I would hope that people would look at my journey, Robin, and ultimately come to the conclusion that failure isn’t forever,” she explained. “That although many people cannot relate to being an Olympic athlete, an Olympic champion, a convicted felon, everybody can relate when it comes to failure in their lives, right?”
“I coach, and teach and mentor entrepreneurs on how to pull themselves up when they’re dealing with stuff,” Jones said, adding, “And I’m loving it. I’m so passionate about it.”
With her renewed spirit, Jones, who is also a mother of three, shared that she has been proudly following and watching the 2024 Paris Olympics with her kids.
“I love sitting with my daughter and watching Simone Biles, and all the rock star female athletes that are there right now,” she said. “I think a lot of people are surprised when I say that when I watch the games — it’s happy moments that I relive.”
Jones added that she is no longer looking back at her past, saying she hopes her journey will serve as lessons to others, moving forward.
“And I would hope that when people see my story ultimately they say, ‘You know what? Yeah, she went through some stuff,'” Jones said. “Lot of it [is] because of her own choices. But she didn’t stay there, and she didn’t allow it all to ultimately consume her.”
“There were poor choices, Robin, that were made along the way,” she continued. “But I put in work and I sacrificed. And the moment for me can never be taken away.”
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