Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred etching her name into history to claim the Caribbean nation’s first ever medal at the the Olympic Games. She stunned US favorite Sha’Carri Richardson to win the Olympic women’s 100m gold medal on Saturday. Alfred conjured a superb race to win in 10.72sec as Richardson took silver in 10.87sec and compatriot Melissa Jefferson won bronze in 10.92sec.
Alfred had never finished on the podium at a major outdoor championships prior to Saturday’s final. Richardson, the reigning world champion over 100m, had been hotly tipped to become the first American to win the coveted Olympic crown since Gail Devers in 1996.
But the 24-year-old Texan found herself outgunned by the powerfully built Alfred, who led from start to finish after exploding out of the blocks at a rain swept Stade de France. Alfred’s gold gave St. Lucia their first ever medal of any color at an Olympics. The island nation only began competing at the Games in 1996.
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It was an incredible performance by Alfred, who had fired a warning shot across Richardson’s bows in the semi-finals, finishing ahead of the American in 10.89sec. The semi-final proved to be an ominous portent for Richardson, who was slow out of the blocks and never looked like reeling in Alfred, who could even afford to ease up as she crossed the line to clinch gold.
Alfred was in tears of celebration after sealing a sensational win, running to ring the trackside victory bell before wrapping herself in her country’s flag and embracing her American rivals amid a deafening roar from the appreciative Parisian crowd. Richardson meanwhile was left wondering what had gone with an Olympics campaign that had promised to deliver a gold.
Crifosports/4August24/AZ
