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Marion Jones made a winning return to Europe here Sunday after cruising to victory in the 100m at the Hengelo International athletics meet.
Jones, who has battled unsubstantiated doping insinuations raised by the BALCO steroid scandal, easily won her race in cold, overcast conditions in a modest time of 11.16sec, way outside her personal best of 10.65sec.
"I'm not using it as an excuse but the conditions weren't really set up for a quick time," said Jones, wearing a jacket borrowed from a spectator to prevent her "dying from cold."
"I made a good start but it wasn't as good as the one I made in Mexico (when she clocked 11.06 sec) two weeks ago. But overall I'm very satisfied with the way I performed tonight."
Jones now plans to return to the United States to prepare for the national championships next month, where she will compete in the 100m and 200m.
Jones was largely blackballed by the organisers of European athletics meets last season.
In February of this year, Jones settled a defamation lawsuit against Victor Conte, the BALCO laboratory founder who was convicted of illegal steroid distribution.
Jones, a triple Olympic gold medallist from the 2000 Olympics and four-time world champion, had sued Conte for 25 million dollars over his claims that she had taken banned substances but reached an out-of-court settlement.
She has consistently denied using performance enhancing drugs and has never tested positive.
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AFP 281930 GMT 05 06
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