PARIS — Julien Alfred delivered a brilliant gun-to-tape performance to win the women’s 100 meters final Saturday and claim Saint Lucia’s first Olympic medal, with world champion and race favorite Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States finishing second.
Alfred made her usual quick start and remained clear in heavy rain on a sodden track to come home in a national record 10.72 seconds.
“It feels amazing,” Alfred said of her win. “Waking up this morning, I wrote it down: ‘Julian Alfred, Olympic champion.’ So I think believing in myself and trusting that I could do it is what really mattered to me.”
Richardson took silver in 10.87 but the American never really threatened and her compatriot Melissa Jefferson claimed bronze in 10.92.
Julien Alfred just won the FIRST Olympic medal EVER for Saint Lucia! 🇱🇨 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/2GP4jATT2g
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024
“I’m grateful, happy, blessed,” Jefferson said in a postrace interview scrum, with an American flag still wrapped around her back. “This is my first Olympic Games, and I was just happy that I was able to come out here and represent my country in the best way I could.
“The main thing I told myself [Saturday] is that you are not going to leave here disappointed and upset and empty-handed. And here we go.”
A centerpiece of NBC’s pre-Games’ coverage and star of a Netflix documentary about track, Richardson did not show up for interviews after her second-place finish.
Double Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce did not take part in the final. Appearing in her fifth Olympics, she was listed as ”did not start” shortly before the semifinals and her lane remained empty.
Social media footage later emerged of her and Jamaican team members arguing with officials who appeared to be refusing to let her in.
With Fraser-Pryce missing the heat, Richardson was slow out of the blocks and could not catch Alfred.
It was almost a repeat of last year’s world championships, when Richardson sneaked into the final and won the title from lane nine.
There was to be no repeat this time, however, as Alfred hit her stride brilliantly and splashed home for the gold medal.
“It hasn’t sunk in yet,” Alfred said. “Slowly but surely it is. I’m not sure what [Sunday] may look like. I know I have to run the 200. That’s what I’m thinking about right now, and getting to bed and just trying to rest.”
The United States’ 28-year gold medal drought in the event goes on. Gail Devers was its last winner in 1996; Marion Jones was stripped of her 2000 Olympic gold for doping.
Saturday’s result also ended Jamaica’s stranglehold on the event after it won the past four Olympic golds and 10 of the 12 available medals.
Information from Reuters and ESPN’s Coley Harvey was used in this report.
Source Agencies
