ATHENS, Greece - Marion Jones is back, chasing not one but two medals, while Allen Johnson - the captain of the U.S. Olympic track team - can only watch others run the race he thought he would win.

And Allyson Felix has finally broken through on the world stage and accepted her role in the future of her sport.

Jones returned quietly to the Olympic scene she dominated four years ago in Sydney, qualifying for the finals Wednesday in the long jump. Afterward, she talked and laughed with reporters just like the old days - before the U.S. Anti-Doping Association began investigating her.

Johnson was there, too, trying to explain what had caused his disastrous fall in the 110-meter hurdles preliminaries.

"It's only the second time I've ever fallen in my career," he said. "The other was a couple of years ago in South Africa. There's nothing I can do now but watch and cheer for everybody else."

Felix, 18, took silver in the 200 meters in a world junior record of 22.18 seconds, then skipped the customary celebration lap.

"Running fast is a long process. I'll just have to be patient," said Felix, who made it only to the quarterfinals at last year's world championships. "I'm gradually accepting the fact that I'm the future of USA women's sprinting."

Jones said she was "itching" to back into competition.

"The past few days have been difficult. I won't candy-coat it." she said, "Sitting at home and watching the competition, cheering on friends and teammates - now this is my moment."

For an instant, it seemed as if the doping probe that had dogged Jones all year never happened, that the queen of track and field had not been tarnished by suspicion and guilt by association.

Then she was asked if it was really about a medal this time.

"It's a little bit about a gold, but I think to me it's a lot more about coming out here, doing my best in the midst of a hell of a year," said Jones, who is the target of a steroid investigation. "I mean, you can take that how you want it - being able to do your best in the midst of mass chaos."

Although the USADA is investigating Jones, she has been charged with no wrongdoing and vehemently denies taking banned substances.

Moments after Jones left Olympic Stadium, it was revealed that she would be named to the 400-meter relay team by U.S. women's coach Sue Humphrey, even though team members might risk losing a medal if she is found guilty of wrongdoing down the road.

"I don't operate on rumor and innuendo," Humphrey said last week.

Jones leaped 21 feet, 11

inches Wednesday, the seventh-best qualifying jump, then skipped her final attempt. She fouled on her first try, which was a much longer jump.

"I've had all this energy built up now really since Sacramento, and this is the opportunity to finally do what I love best," she said.