From Olympic Gold To Rock Bottom: How Marion Jones Rebuilt Her Life After Losing It All

Marion Jones was once celebrated for her athletic achievements and known as the ‘fastest woman on the planet’, and quickly became a household name in the early 2000s, appearing on the covers of Time Magazine, Vogue–as the first black female athlete to ever grace the cover, and Sports Illustrated and securing millions in endorsement deals from major brands including Nike, Gatorade, and “Got Milk”. Though she never tested positive in any drug test, in 2007 Marion eventually confessed that she had lied about taking Performance Enhancing Drugs and was subsequently sentenced to six-months in jail. As a result, she voluntarily chose to return her medals, taking full responsibility for her actions and apologizing to her fans around the world. Since then, Marion has completely reinvented herself and transformed her life. Today, Marion and I dive into it all. Today on the show we discuss: how Marion views her career as an Olympic athlete, the darkest moment of her life, why she believes taking performance enhancing drugs didn’t give her that much of an edge, how she has reframed the way she views success, what it was like competing again after nearly two decades, how Marion has turned her mess into her message and much more. ⚠ WELLNESS DISCLAIMER ⚠ Please be advised; the topics related to health and mental health in my content are for informational, discussion, and entertainment purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your health or mental health professional or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your current condition. Never disregard professional advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have heard from your favorite creator, on social media, or shared within content you’ve consumed. If you are in crisis or you think you may have an emergency, call your doctor or 911 immediately. If you do not have a health professional who is able to assist you, use these resources to find help: Emergency Medical Services—911 If the situation is potentially life-threatening, get immediate emergency assistance by calling 911, available 24 hours a day. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255) or https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org.  SAMHSA addiction and mental health treatment Referral Helpline, 1-877-SAMHSA7 (1-877-726-4727) and https://www.samhsa.gov Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices