Jones clinches 50th consecutive 100 metres win

Triple Olympic champion Marion Jones clinched her 50th consecutive 100 metres victory in Nice on Monday, but the American failed to impress one month before the world championships.

Jones looked unbeatable at the distance but had to be happy with a modest time of 11.25 seconds, almost half a second down on the 10.84 she clocked in Paris last week, her best run of the year.

"All wins are good to me and they help me to prepare for the world championships", she said. "I don't keep any track but it's always great to win.

"My race was not perfect today because we had to struggle with the wind but I had a pretty good start, at least much better than the other day", Jones said.

"Now I'm going to take a few days off on the French Riviera and then I will go to the Oslo and London meetings."

Jones, who said she was confident of beating the 10.49-second world record of her late compatriot Florence Griffith-Joyner, outsprinted Chandra Sturrup of the Bahamas and Nigeria's Mercy Ku, who finished second and third respectively.

In the men's 100m, victory went to American Tim Montgomery in a moderate 10.18 seconds, ahead of Abdul Aziz Zakari of Ghana and Jamaica's Llewellyn Bredwood.

"I'm happy with my performance even if it was not great today", Montgomery said. "At least I did much better than last year."

Latvia Stanislav Olijars was fastest in the 110 metres hurdles, coming home in 13.30 ahead of Americans Dawane Wallace and Terrance Trammel.

Allen Johnson of the U.S. was a disappointing fifth in 13.50.

"I don't have any excuse. It was a bad day for me and it sometimes happens. But I'm ready for the world championships. My motivation is perfect", Johnson said.

In an otherwise lacklustre meeting, Kenya's Wilson Boit Kipketer set the best time of the year in the 3,000 metres steeplechase, clocking eight minutes 5.78 seconds.

Kipketer finished strongly to beat compatriots Bernard Barmasai and Kipkirui Misoi.