Many wondered if [Marion Jones] would crumble after it was revealed this week that her husband had tested positive for the steroid nandrolone. If anything, Jones seems to have gotten stronger, more relaxed and more focused. As she took her victory lap, she approached her husband, shot putter C.J. Hunter, in the stands, embraced him and kissed him twice.

Jones's victory provided the night's centerpiece as she hopes to become the first female track athlete to win five gold medals. Yet in a truly comical postrace news conference, she almost became the sideshow. [Pauline Davis-Thompson], 34, talked frankly--too frankly--about her early experiences with sports bras, then recalled her first meeting with Cathy Freeman--an Aboriginal Australian who won the 400--in which she indiscreetly asked her: "What color are you?" Finally, Davis-Thompson good-naturedly took on Jones, who was seated next to her, on the subject of the 4x100 relay--an event Jones needs to reach her gold-medal goal.

Certainly, the most difficult part of Jones's challenge lies ahead. The final in the long jump--her worst event--is Friday. Italy's Fiona May leads a small handful of women considered technically stronger than Jones. In the relays, the United States's 4x100 team is injury depleted and the 4x400 team simply lacks true speedsters.