PALO ALTO, Calif. - Three of the world's top athletes on Friday discussed the competition they will face Saturday at the Peregrine Systems U.S. Open - an IAAF Grand Prix I event at the third stop on USA Track & Field's Golden Spike Tour.

Marion Jones, Adam Nelson and Stacy Dragila talked about the upcoming meet and the 2001 outdoor season at a Friday afternoon press conference.

The 2000 Olympic champion in the event, Jones will compete in the Verizon women's 200 meters Saturday against a field that is scheduled to include 1999 world champion Inger Miller, world indoor silver medalist LaTasha Jenkins and Jamaican 4x100m relay Olympic silver medalist Juliet Campbell.

"I am extremely excited to be here," said Jones, a Southern California native. "This will be the second time for me to compete in California this season. (Jones opened her season at the Mt. SAC Relays, winning the 300m.) Every time I get a chance to come home to compete, I'm thrilled. …I'm excited the LaTasha Jenkins will be in the field. She's been running very well this year. Also Juliet Campbell and all of the other athletes in the field. We will run fast."

Jones revealed at the press conference that she will not compete in the long jump in 2001. USATF announced on Thursday that Jones has entered the 200m at the GMC Envoy USA Outdoor Track & Field Championships, June 21-24 in Eugene, Ore. "As of this week, Trevor (Graham, her coach) and I decided I'm not going to compete in the long jump. We decided I'm just going to take this year off. I'll be back next year."

Nelson, who moved from his Northern California training base to New York City late last year, has now returned to the Bay Area for a month of training with personal coach Robert Weir, an Olympian for Great Britain who also coaches at Stanford. Ultimately Nelson plans to make his permanent training base in his home state of Georgia, with periodic monthlong visits to work with Weir.

"I'm really excited to be back here in the Bay Area," Nelson said. "It's one of the best places to train in the country, if not the best. I think this facility is the perfect place to throw. I know the ring, I know the facility - it's home away from home."

At the Peregrine Systems U.S. Open, Nelson will throw against fellow U.S. Olympians John Godina and Andy Bloom. In Sydney, Nelson won the silver medal with Godina winning bronze and Bloom placing fourth. The three were the top-ranked throwers of 2000.

"It's very rare that John, Andy and I compete in the same meet until this time of year," Nelson said. "We're all good friends, but it gets pretty serious between us. This will be a more relaxed version of the national championships. It will be a fun meet for us."

The world record holder, Olympic gold medalist and world champion in the pole vault, Dragila has already broken her own world record this outdoor season with a clearance of 4.70 meters / 15 feet, 5 inches. On Saturday she will compete in the Visa women's pole vault against a field that includes the three women who finished directly behind her at last year's Olympic Trials - Kellie Suttle, Mel Mueller and Mary Sauer. Suttle has come on strong in 2001, winning the silver medal at the World Indoor Championships and twice clearing 15 feet - the only American other than Dragila ever to clear that barrier.

"In regard to coming to Stanford, I'm very excited," Dragila said. "The atmosphere here is terrific. Hopefully I'm ready to do something big. …. I know Kellie wants to beat me. I know Mel wants to beat me, and I know Mary wants to beat me."

Competition at the Peregrine Systems U.S. Open begins at 2 p.m. Saturday at Stanford's Cobb Track & Angell Field with the women's hammer throw. Events continue from 5 p.m. through 9 p.m. For a complete schedule and meet preview, visit www.usatf.org.

USATF Golden Spike Tour sponsors are Verizon, adidas, GMC Envoy, Visa SoBe Sports System.

TV ALERT: The Peregrine Systems U.S. Open will be broadcast from 5-6 p.m. Eastern Time on Sunday, June 10 on CBS. Other track meets broadcast nationally Sunday are the adidas Oregon Track Classic from 12:30-2 a.m. on ESPN2 and the NCAA Outdoor Championships from 2-4 on CBS. All times Eastern.