Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred stunned favourite Sha’Carri Richardson to win the Olympics women’s 100m gold medal on Saturday, etching her name into history to claim the Caribbean nation’s first ever medal at the Games.
Alfred – who had never finished on the podium at a major outdoor championships prior to Saturday’s final – conjured a superb race to win in 10.72sec as the USA’s Richardson took silver in 10.87sec and compatriot Melissa Jefferson won bronze in 10.92sec.
Richardson’s comeback story hit a brick wall Saturday when Alfred romped to the 100-meter title.
PUNCH Online reported in 2023 that Richardson made up for missing the Tokyo Olympics due to a drug ban to sensationally win the women’s 100 metres world title in Budapest in a championship record of 10.65sec.
The then-23-year-old American stormed home from lane nine — unpopular for sprinters — to edge Jamaican duo Shericka Jackson, who ran 10.72sec, and five-time champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who clocked 10.77sec.
Richardson missed the delayed Tokyo Games in 2021 after testing positive for marijuana at the US trials.
Hoping to maintain her record as the fastest woman in the world, World 100 meters champion, Richardson earned a chance for Olympic redemption after winning the 100 at the US athletics trials in June, booking her ticket to the Paris Games.
“I feel honored,” Richardson said. “I feel every chapter I’ve been through in my life designed and prepared me for this moment.
“I cannot wait to go to Paris and represent.”
However, Alfred set a world record to win the women’s 100 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France.
Racing one lane to the left of Richardson, and with water from a fast-moving storm puddling on the purple track in the Stade de France, Alfred got off to a fantastic start, then powered through the rain and beat Richardson by .15 seconds — about three body lengths.
Here’s what you need to know about Alfred, including her background and college career.
Who is Julien Alfred?
Julien Alfred, born on June 10, 2001, in Ciceron, Castries, Saint Lucia, is currently the fastest woman in the world. At 23, she has emerged as a formidable sprinter, recently surpassing Sha’Carri Richardson in the semifinals and finals of the 100-meter race.
Raised in Saint Lucia, Alfred attended high school in Jamaica before committing to the University of Texas. There, she set an NCAA record in the 60-meter in 2022 and won national titles in the 100-meter and 4x100m relay. She added two more titles in 2023, winning the 60-meter and 200-meter.
Alfred’s success continued with a victory in the 60-meter final at the 2024 World Indoor Championships and a gold medal in the 100-meter final at the 2023 Central American and Caribbean Games. She ran a stunning 10.72 in the 100-meter final at the Paris Olympics, cementing her status as the fastest woman in the world.
Alfred, Texas alumni games, height
Standing at 5’7″, Alfred is taller than fellow sprinters Jefferson (5’4″) and Richardson (5’1″). She is also set to compete in the women’s 200-meter event in Paris, with heats on Sunday, semifinals on Monday, and the final on Tuesday.
PUNCH Online also reported that the official X account of Texas Track and Field and Cross Country, #TexasTFXC, celebrated Alfred in a late night post on Saturday.
It read, “Julien Alfred is the 100m Olympic gold medalist.
“Julien brings home the first ever Olympic medal for St. Lucia with her winning time of 10.72 # FloKnows x #HookEm”
