Jones runs and jumps to next round

Jones was fourth quickest out of all the qualifiers

Marion Jones put a traumatic two days behind her as she cruised into the the women's 200m semi-finals and took just one jump to reach the long jump final.

The 100m gold medallist showed no signs that she has allowed the drugs controversy her husband CJ Hunter is involved in has affected her and won her first heat in 22.75 seconds - but was pipped on the line in the second round by Australia's Melinda Gainsford-Taylor as she slowed up.

After the race, the 100m gold medallist who later in the day competed in her third event, the long jump, said: "I felt very good and I'm excited. I'm focused now and I'm looking forward to the long jump and hoping I can get one good jump."

Britain's Samantha Davis and Joice Maduaka joined her in the second round, despite both finishing fifth in their heats, but they failed to progress further, Davis posting a disappointing time of 23.20 in the second heat and Joice Maduaka recording 23.57.

Long jump

Jones was given a rapturous welcome on the track ahead of a busy day as she continues her bid for a historic five gold medals.

And later she duly advanced to the long jump final with ease, exceeding the qualifying standard of 6.70 metres with her opening jump of 6.78 metres.

Germany's Heike Dreschler also made it through with her first jump of 6.84. Dreschler won gold in the event in Barcelona in 1992, and she was the youngest ever athlete to win a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships at 18.

Hunter, the world shot put champion who pulled out of the Olympics citing injury, has failed four drug tests for anabolic steroids.

After a traumatic Tuesday saw Jones join Hunter at a news conference in Sydney, Wednesday was always going to be a tough day of competition.

Jones added: "I said all along I think today is going to be the most difficult day for me, having two rounds of the 200m and then having to jump this evening after it's all done," she said.

"So I tried to conserve a bit of energy in the first round and I felt good."

Sluggish

Australia's new 400m champion Cathy Freeman progressed to the semi-finals of the 200m - an event which she only decided to enter at the last minute before the Games.

She looked a little sluggish in qualifying third from her first round heat in 23.11 - and looked to be going out in the second before running superbly down the home straight to make it through.

"I will feel better as the rounds progress. If there was one I could afford to relax in it was that one," she explained after her first heat.

Debbie Ferguson of the Bahamas and Sri Lankan Susanthika Jayasinghe won the third and fourth heats, with Australian Lauren Hewitt also advancing.