Triple Olympic champion Marion Jones made it through long jump qualifying at the US Olympic trials last night, but the performance was far from impressive.
Jones, still favourite to qualify, leaped a mere 6.39 metres, making her only the seventh of 12 qualifiers for Thursday's final.
The effort left Jones struggling for a second time in an Olympic trial she had dominated here in 2000.
She finished fifth in the women's 100 metres final on Saturday and failed to make the US Olympic team for next month's Athens Games in an event she won in Sydney.
Still, she should qualify for the US team on Thursday because only two Americans have made the Olympic qualifying standard of 6.70 metres. Up to three athletes per country may compete in the event in Athens - if they have met the Olympic standard.
She also will compete in the 200 metres at the trials at the weekend.
Jones, who is under scrutiny by the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) despite never failing a doping test, slipped away from reporters last night without commenting on her performance. Her best jump was her first. She then leaped 6.34 and 6.31.