Five-time Olympic medalist Marion Jones will compete in the women’s 60 meters at the 97th Verizon Millrose Games on February 6 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. It will be Jones' first race since giving birth to her son in June 2003, and her first Millrose Games appearance ever.

"The Verizon Millrose Games is the perfect place and time for me to return to competition and start my push for the Olympic Games," said Jones. "It's exciting to start my year on home turf at Madison Square Garden in New York City."

Held annually since 1908, the Verizon Millrose Games is the nation's longest running invitational track meet, the Garden's longest running sporting event, and a highlight of USA Track & Field's annual "Golden Spike Tour." In addition to the Verizon Millrose Games, the 2004 Indoor Tour will include the adidas Boston Indoor Games on January 31, the Tyson Foods Invitational in Fayetteville, Ark., on February 14 and the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships in Boston on February 27-29.

The 2004 Verizon Millrose Games will be televised on NBC on February 7 from 3:00 to 4:30 p.m., Eastern Time. Jones will be competing for first place prize money of $10,000 in the women's 60-meter dash. Joining her in the starting blocks will be rising star Torri Edwards, who won silver and bronze medals in the 100m and 200m at last summer's World Championships; Angela Williams, a 2003 World Championships gold medalist in the 4x100m relay; and 2003 High School Athlete of the Year Allyson Felix, who broke Jones’ national high school and World Junior records in the 200 meters as a 17-year old senior at Los Angeles Baptist High School Tickets for the 2004 Verizon Millrose Games may be purchased by visiting the Madison Square Garden Box Office or calling (212) 465-6741. Tickets may be purchased by calling the following local Ticketmaster outlets and charge-by-phone numbers: (212) 307-7171, (201) 507-8900, (914) 454-3388 and (203) 624-0033. Ticket information is also available at www.verizonmillrosegames.com

For more information on the 2004 USATF Golden Spike Tour, visit www.usatf.org.