Former Olympic athlete Marion Jones who went to prison for using performance-enhancing drugs reflects on her downfall

Former Olympic jock Marion Jones - who went to situation aft utilizing performing-enhancing narcotics - has spoken retired astir her tumultuous autumn from grace arsenic she insisted she would person won nan golden without nan stimulants. 

The mom-of-three, now 48, was astatine nan tallness of profession during nan 2000 Summer Olympics successful Sydney, Australia, astatine which she achieved a whopping 3 golden and 2 bronze medals. 

At nan time, Marion was known to nan world arsenic nan fastest female arsenic she showcased her immense powerfulness and spot while successful way and field. 

However, it each came to a screeching halt successful 2008 erstwhile nan jock was sentenced to six months successful prison, 2 years of supervised merchandise and 800 hours of organization work erstwhile she admitted to utilizing performing-enhancing drugs, contempt having initially denied nan allegations. 

Sixteen years aft being stripped of her title, Marion is now reflecting connected 'why definite choices were made' arsenic she remained adamant that she would person amassed nan aforesaid number of medals moreover without nan drugs. 

While speaking to Good Morning America, nan all-round way and section prima opened up astir her life-changing determination to return nan enhancers and really she feels astir nan Paris Olympics. 

She insisted that she would person still been capable to triumph and clasp nan title of nan fastest female successful nan world without nan narcotics during nan 2000 Olympics owed to her 'enormous talent.'

The runner told GMA: 'The answer's very easy for me: 1,000 per cent. And that's what makes it very hard. 

'I was blessed pinch conscionable an tremendous magnitude of talent... But knowing that it didn't request to hap nan measurement that it did ever will instrumentality pinch maine arsenic a infinitesimal that is hard.'

Marion went to jailhouse for six months successful 2008 and has since focused connected surviving a backstage life - adding that her clip down bars made her bespeak connected her decisions. 

'When I was successful 49 days of solitary confinement, and I was sitting location saying, "Okay, Marion, you could let each of this to conscionable put you under. Or you tin usage what your mom has ever said astir you, that you're thing special, and that you're unique."

'I was not gonna let my mediocre choices to discarded her dream,' she explained. 

Now, nan runner has accepted nan decisions she made and is looking to helping others who are hoping to go prima athletes by opening her coaching journey. 

She added: 'Well, I would dream that group would look astatine my journey, Robin, and yet travel to nan conclusion that nonaccomplishment isn't forever. 

'That though galore group cannot subordinate to being an Olympic athlete, an Olympic champion, a convicted felon, everybody tin subordinate erstwhile it comes to nonaccomplishment successful their lives, right?' 

Marion revealed that she now 'loves' coaching and mentoring sports icons who are looking to return their profession to nan adjacent step. 

Now that she has travel to understand and judge her choices, she noted that it helps others cognize that they tin ever get backmost up again aft failing. 

She told GMA: 'I would dream that erstwhile group spot my communicative yet they say, "You cognize what? 

'"Yeah, she went done immoderate stuff. Lot of it [is] because of her ain choices. But she didn't enactment there, and she didn't let it each to yet devour her."' 

Marion branded her decisions 'poor' and said that she 'put successful work' - adding that it nan narcotics don't return distant from her talents.

Now, nan erstwhile Olympic prima is focusing connected coaching and reliving her glory days by pursuing on pinch nan 2024 Paris Olympics, which has seen nan Team USA Gymnastics squad garnering golden medals.

Marion gushed complete Simone Biles - who is currently facing disconnected against teammate Suni Lee successful all-around for gold. 

She told nan outlet that she and her girl person been tuning successful and watching nan 'rock prima female athletes.' 

After pleading blameworthy astir 2 decades ago, Marion mislaid retired connected 5 Olympic medals from 2000, 3 of them gold, and 5 much from nan World Championships successful 1999 and 2001.