Paris 2024 Olympics: Julien Alfred wins 100m gold for St Lucia

At Paris 2024, Julien Alfred stormed to the women’s 100-meter title, becoming St. Lucia’s first Olympic medalist.

Alfred, 23, won the competition in a time of 10.72 seconds, a national record, despite the pouring rain at the raucous Stade de France.

Sha’Carri Richardson, a world champion from the United States, won the silver medal in 10.87, with compatriot Melissa Jefferson coming in third (10.92).

Daryll Neita of Great Britain finished fourth, four hundredths of a second off the podium, crossing the finish line in 10.96.

Although Neita’s finish in the Olympic sprint final was the best by a British female athlete in 64 years, it won’t help her much in her quest for a first individual global medal.

Neita stated to Sport, “I’m finding it hard to find words at the moment, literally speechless, so close to the medal, so close.”

“I’m healthy and competing in the 200-meter race. I was so close to winning that medal, and I really want to win it, but finishing fourth at the Olympics is something to be proud of.”

Dina Asher-Smith, a British teammate, and Imani-Lara Lansiquot, a Jamaican sprint icon, withdrew from the competition prior to her semi-final, also failed to advance to the final.

In her semi-final, Asher-Smith placed fifth with a time of 11.10, and Lansiquot was eliminated with a time of 11.21.

“I’m just disappointed because I’m healthy and have been all season. I completely expected to make that last, the race wasn’t even quick,” Gymnastics rings olympics live updates: What time today’s individual finals are, how to watch Asher-Smith told BBC Game.

“I am aware that I am in much better health than that. I simply move on to the 200 meters, but once more I am completely disappointed. That ought to have been made.

Neita and Asher-Smith will both now focus on a decoration in the 200m, what begins on Sunday morning.

With a population of less than 200,000, the Caribbean island of St. Lucia has participated in seven Olympic Games without winning a medal.

However, following her heroics in a Paris downpour, Alfred has broken her nation’s duck and won a stunning gold.

She took a commanding victory and didn’t look like she would be caught from the moment she hit the front, leaving Richardson in her wake.

Alfred continued to sprint far beyond the finish line in celebration after winning her first global outdoor title, tearing her name from her vest and displaying it to the crowd.

Alfred stated, Novak Djokovic vs Carlos Alcaraz Tennis Men’s Singles Final Live Streaming Olympics 2024 Live Telecast. “I’m thinking of God and my dad, who didn’t get to see me.”

In 2013, he passed away. Father, this is for you. I adore you. I did it for God, my coach, and for him.”

Alfred made a splash at the start of this Olympic season when she won gold in the world indoor 60-meter race, a first for a St. Lucian athlete.

The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist has made steady progress throughout the season. At the beginning of June, she ran 10.78, which was a new personal best and national record. The following month, in London, she ran 21.86, which was her 200-meter best.

Alfred is based in Austin, Texas, where she trains with Asher-Smith and coach Edrick Floreal. At the 2023 World Championships, she finished fifth and fourth in the 100- and 200-meter finals, respectively.

She has now fulfilled her world-beating promise and will run the 200 meters again, inspired by Jamaica’s sprint king Usain Bolt, in an effort to make more history.

“I went back this morning and watched his races because Usain Bolt won so many medals. It was all Usain Bolt’s races this morning, I won’t lie,” Alfred stated.

There appeared to be a huge opportunity for each of the eight athletes at the start of the 100-meter final.

Due to an Achilles tendon injury, What time is Terence Crawford vs Madrimov and where to watch tonight’s elite boxing match? Jamaican Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah was unable to defend her title, and world 200m champion Shericka Jackson decided to concentrate solely on that competition in Paris.

Before Saturday’s semi-finals, two-time champion Fraser-Pryce abruptly withdrew, preventing any Tokyo Olympic medal winners from attending.

Richardson arranged as the world’s quickest lady this year in the wake of running 10.71 in June, yet the American basically couldn’t draw near to Alfred on her Olympic presentation.

Jefferson, 23, narrowly beat GB’s Neita to win her first individual global medal. She had previously won gold in the world 4x100m relay.

Neita had made it clear that she was going to Paris to win an individual global medal.

Having made five worldwide platform as a feature of the English hand-off group, the 27-year-old has gained great headway since coming to – yet completing rearward in – the Olympic 100m last in Tokyo a long time back.

After finishing fifth in the 200m at the World Championships last year, she now needs to quickly refocus in order to help Great Britain earn a third consecutive Olympic 4x100m podium.

Neita stated, “I think I put together a good race, I came fourth in the final, it’s an amazing progression – I was last in the final the last time.”

“That medal was something I really, really wanted. Because I’m running the 200 meters, I need to recover.