Marion Jones and Tim Montgomery, yesterday were each awarded the annual Jesse Owens Award by USA Track & Field as the outstanding track and field athletes in the United States.

Established in 1981, the Jesse Owens Award is USA Track & Field's highest accolade, presented annually to the outstanding U.S. male and female track and field performers. The 2002 Jesse Owens Awards will be presented December 6 at the Jesse Owens Awards Dinner and Xerox Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, held at USA Track & Field's 2002 Annual Meeting in Kansas City, Missouri.

Speaking via teleconference from their home base in Raleigh, North Carolina, the world's fastest couple reflected on their successful 2002 seasons, and shared their competitive plans for 2003.

A few months ago, 100m world record holder Tim Montgomery and multiple World and Olympic Champion Marion Jones sat down and mapped out their 2003 competitive plans, and given their formidable athletic credentials it is not surprising to discover that their expectations are of a lofty nature.

For Montgomery, that plan includes a "definite" improvement on his world record in the 100m, and for Jones, 2003 may witness another "drive for five," similar to her exploits at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.

"I really know the world record will be broken again next year," said Montgomery, whose 9.78 performance in September's IAAF Grand Prix Final in Paris knocked one one-hundredth of a second from the mark set by Olympic and three-time World Champion Maurice Greene. "I can really see the improvement from what I had done and where I've been at this time of year."

Not to be outdone, Jones, the triple Olympic gold medallist from the Sydney Games, has her sights set on four, possibly five-gold medal performances at next August's IAAF World Championships in Paris.

"I've already begun training in the long jump," Jones said, confirming that the event will be added to her competitive repertoire in 2003. In addition to a defence of her 200m World title and an attempt to regain the 100m crown, she said, "I hope to be able to compete in at least one of the relays, if not two."

In 2002, Jones accomplished just about all she could on the track – an undefeated season in 21 races over 100m, 200m and 400m, wins at all seven Golden League Meetings, a share of the IAAF Golden League Jackpot, the overall IAAF Grand Prix title, and a repeat World Cup 100m win. Yet her feelings about the past year are somewhat mixed.

"Overall, I was disappointed a little bit," she said matter-of-factly. "I would have loved to have run faster, but I still feel good that I was able to pull out every tough, hard-earned win along the circuit."

Her personal bests, 10.65 in the 100 and 21.62 in the 200, date back to 1998, providing all the motivation she needs as she prepares for Paris and the 2004 Olympics in Athens.

"For six years now, whenever I'm asked (my goals for the season), I always say I want to run faster than I ever have before, and I'm going to continue to say that." In 2002 that didn't happen, she said, "but something else good came out of it. My confidence was built back up. I didn't run as fast as I wanted to, but I was able to once again face the competition head on and pull out some really tough victories. Not that my confidence was really knocked off, but it was jarred a little bit," she said, alluding to her silver medal effort behind Zhanna Pintusevich-Block at the 2001 World Championships. "To be able to come back in 2002, and to win every single time I stepped on the track," she said, "was a huge treat."

She appears to be particularly eager and excited about her return to the long jump. "I feel fresh, I feel light," she said of her jump training. "It's one of those feelings, like you haven't ridden a bicycle in a long time, and feel like you can ride alongside Lance Armstrong at the Tour de France. I have a renewed vigor in the event, and I'm looking forward to getting back out there and jumping."

Montgomery said that 2002 was a huge confidence booster for him as well, but not just because of his record run in the Grand Prix Final.

"It was the way I was running this year. I ran eight times under ten seconds." With no major championships last year, Montgomery focused primarily on running fast and racing often. "I was learning how to maintain the speed and how not to over train. I learned a lot last year," he added. "Now I'm ready to put together the trial and error of 2002, 2001 and 2000." His win in Paris, coupled with a world record bonus, earned Montgomery $250,000 for the day, and made him the surprise winner of the overall IAAF Grand Prix title.

Yet, he firmly believes that there is much more in reserve for 2003, and has no plans to rest on his laurels.

"I know a lot of people out there are targeting for me, because I was targeting Maurice when he had the world record. It's something that when you lay down at night you don't want to lose. I'm back at it, and am trying to improve on what I've been trying to improve on in the last six years."

He readily admits that his competitive life has changed since earning the moniker of "world's fastest human," and that it will take much more to keep that label as his own.

"It changed everything. It changed the way I've been carrying myself because everyone's looking at me now." He acknowledged that he spent much of his recent career lurking in the shadow of Maurice Greene, the sprinter he still considers the best ever.

"If you take him off the track, then Tim Montgomery would be noticed. It took a 9.78 for me to be noticed. And it's going to take something faster to move where I consider myself to be one of the best to have ever run (the 100m)."

Now, he doesn't consider himself behind Greene any longer, and intends to focus solely on himself.

"I kept telling myself that I had to beat him, when I was beating  myself."

As important as his new inner focus, he said, is the support girlfriend and training partner Jones provide as he continues towards the upcoming World Championships and 2004 Olympics.

"You know that I'm a hot head," he says, laughing. "I can go off the deep end sometime, and she keeps me stable. She keeps telling me, 'don't lay down. Don't think that 9.78 cannot be broken.' "

Jones confirmed that she would not compete indoors this winter, and plans to open her season with the 400m at the Mt. SAC Relays in April, in Walnut, California. Aiming to improve the weaker aspect of his race, his first 60 meters, Montgomery said he expects to compete in a few races indoors.

Bob Ramsak for the IAAF