Paris Olympics: Julien Alfred becomes fastest woman in the world
Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia has become the fastest woman on earth by winning the 100-meter race at the Paris Olympics. Running through a rain-soaked Stade de France, Alfred clocked an impressive 10.72 seconds to claim gold, stunning pre-race favorite Sha’Carri Richardson of the United States, who finished second with a time of 10.87 seconds.
Alfred’s victory was marked by her superior reaction time, recording 0.144 seconds, compared to Richardson’s 0.221 seconds. This early edge proved decisive, as Alfred maintained a commanding lead throughout the race, preventing Richardson from staging one of her characteristic comebacks.
USA’s Melissa Jefferson secured the bronze medal with a time of 10.92 seconds.
In the aftermath of her triumph, Alfred dedicated her win to her late father, who passed away in 2013. “Most importantly, God, my coach, and lastly, my dad, who believed that I could do it. He passed away in 2013 and now he couldn’t see me on the biggest stage of my career. But he’ll always be so proud of his daughter being an Olympian,” Alfred told Olympics.com.
The 23-year-old had initially stepped away from athletics following her father’s death but was persuaded to return to the sport by her coach. Alfred’s victory not only marks a personal achievement but also historic significance for Saint Lucia, as she becomes the nation’s first-ever Olympic medalist.
Reflecting on her landmark achievement, Alfred stated, “Growing up, I’ve always said I wanted to be one of Saint Lucia’s first Olympic medalists. First gold medalist at the Olympic Games.”
This race also marked a shift from the dominance of Jamaican sprinters seen in previous Olympic Games. At Tokyo 2020, Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson-Herah won gold in the women’s 100m, with Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson claiming silver and bronze respectively.
