SACRAMENTO – There was a competition here that did not include the three Ms.

Maurice, Michael and Marion assumed center stage with their flying legs and rambling mouths. They were at the core of the revelry and rivalry at these U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials, which ended yesterday.

But Marion Jones’ quest for five gold medals in Sydney and evolving battle at 100 and 200 meters with Inger Miller was not the only American story on the women’s side. And Michael Johnson’s attempt to become the first man to repeat as Olympic champ at either 200 or 400 meters, and quiet down the fastest man and trash talker in the world, Maurice Greene, was not the only male plot line.

The competition at Hornet Stadium featured the inspiring and the retiring, the new movers and shakers and those who cannot move and shake quite like they once did, and three Ms that were sprinkled liberally throughout the eight days of competition – mettle, motivation and memories. A sample:

A STAR IS BORN AT 36: Regina Jacobs was probably more impressive at these Trials than Jones, Greene or Johnson. She won duels at 1,500 meters against Suzy Favor Hamilton and 5,000 meters against Deena Drossin. Since she also smashed her own American record in the 5,000 by more than seven seconds, Jacobs clearly emerged as this country’s dominant middle-distance runner and best chance yet to medal for the first time at either 1,500 or 5,000 meters.

But which one? Jacobs has said all along her plan was to run just the 1,500 meters in Sydney. But her dynamic performance Friday night in the 5,000 moved her coach and husband, Tom Craig – unbeknownst to his wife – to say a decision is still coming on which race she will run in the Olympics. Jacobs ultimately hedged somewhat also, but she so clearly has her eyes on breaking Mary Slaney’s 17-year-old record in the metric mile that it seems likely she will run the 1,500.

Either way, this is not bad for a woman who turns 37 next month and is now doing her best career work in a season that began with her losing her shoe contract.

In a moment of class at the post-race press conference, Jacobs credited and hugged Drossin for the American record, saying Drossin’s willingness to push the pace enabled the mark to fall. The two broke away early and ran shoulder-to-shoulder until the final 800 meters. Jacobs was just stronger, finishing at 14:45.35 – 7.14 seconds better than her 2-year-old U.S. record – and 26.20 in front of Drossin, who won the 10,000 earlier in the Trials.

NOT EVERYONE IS REGINA: The calendar was not as kind to other top performers at the Trials. Jackie Joyner-Kersee, an 11th-hour entrant in the long jump, made the finals, but never got off the ground for her last two tries yet went gracefully back into retirement as the target Jones shoots for – arguably the greatest woman’s athlete ever.

Johnny Gray, at 40 and in his sixth Olympic Trial, no longer could find the fortitude to run with the kids at 800 meters and retired after his heat. Derrick Adkins, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist at 400 hurdles, chose God and serenity over continuing in his discipline. He retired after his semifinal heat Friday to go to theology school full-time. Adkins suffers from clinical depression and goes off his medication in Olympic years because he feels it slows him down. Now, he can return full-time to the medicine that enables him to better control his depression.

Jeff Hartwig (pole vault), Tisha Waller (high jump), Bob Kennedy (5,000, 10,000) and Dan O’Brien (decathlon) did not announce retirements. But the thirtysomethings – all expecting big things at these Trials – did not make the U.S. team and probably had their Olympic careers come to an end.

THE NEW BLOOD: When O’Brien, the defending gold medalist, had to bow out of the Trials with a foot injury, it was assumed two-time U.S. champion Chris Huffins was now ready to assume the mantle as America’s top decathlete. But 23-year-old Tom Pappas used a superior pole vault to gain momentum on Day 2 of the competition and win the first Trials in which he competed.

Angelo Taylor, 21, ran the fastest time in the world this year to win the 400 hurdles, taking the Olympic baton from Adkins in an event America has dominated. Adam Nelson, 25, a Dartmouth grad who was working 40-60 hours a week as a software designer until early July, won perhaps the most competitive final of the Trials, overtaking world champion C.J. Hunter with the best throw in the world this year.

Gabe Jennings, 21, the NCAA champ out of Stanford, will have no shot at 1,500 meters against the Kenyans in the Olympics. But he won here, the music major with a Grateful Dead persona said, because he ran to the beat of the music in his head and the drumming that cAme from a large section of fans headed by his free-spirited parents.