Julien Alfred stuns Sha’Carri Richardson, takes crown as world’s fastest woman with 100m win

SAINT-DENIS, France — This was supposed to be Sha’Carri Richardson’s moment. This was supposed to be her arrival as the queen of sprint. Only a gold medal seemed worthy of her ability.

But she’ll have to wait four more years. Saturday belonged to Julien Alfred and Saint Lucia.

Alfred won the women’s 100-meter dash in 10.72 seconds, claiming the first medal of any kind for her home country. Richardson’s time of 10.87 was good enough to win a silver, her first Olympic medal. American Melissa Jefferson’s 10.92 was good for bronze.

Julien Alfred just won the FIRST Olympic medal EVER for Saint Lucia! 🇱🇨 #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/2GP4jATT2g

— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 3, 2024

In the biggest race of her life, Richardson was not the dominant force she’d been all year. Twice on Saturday, both in the semifinals and finals of the women’s 100 meters, she was slow out of the blocks. Both times, Alfred was not. One of the best sprinters in the world was simply too fast to chase down from behind, even for Richardson’s terrific closing speed.

That was true in the semifinals as Richardson lost her heat to Alfred after a slow start out of the blocks. It was even more true in the final, especially on the wet track at Stade de France.

The women’s 100-meter final didn’t end up being the epic event it was brewing to become. The presence of the Jamaicans was diminished with their three best sprinters not in the final. Defending champion Elaine Thompson-Herah and projected future champ Shericka Jackson pulled out earlier. Legendary sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was a late scratch in the semifinals.

SAINT LUCIA TO THE WORLD ‼️

🇱🇨’s Julien Alfred storms to the Olympic 100m gold medal with 10.72 🤩

That’s the first medal in the history of the Olympic Games for her country. #Paris2024 #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/3c92Ql9EoP

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 3, 2024

Without them, the door was wide open for a new champion. Alfred ran through it faster.

Richardson, though, has all the makings of the one. Except she still doesn’t have the Olympic gold. Her worthiness is unquestionable. It was proven in the 2023 World Championships when she beat all the best in Budapest. She looked nothing short of dominant leading up to the Olympics.

But the climax of this racing prodigy is delayed again. First by a suspension just before the Tokyo Games. Then by the need for growth as she struggled a bit, and suffered some rough losses, before finding her stride. Now, it’s been delayed by an unbecoming performance at the most inopportune times.

Richardson missed out on delivering the United States’ first gold medal in the women’s 100 meters since Gail Devers in 1996. She also failed to return sprint glory to American women.

It feels inevitable that she’ll get there, to the pinnacle of the sport. She’s all of 24 years old. If how she’s handled adversity to this point is any indication, she’ll grow from this too. Perhaps Los Angeles in four years will be her defining moment.

For now, her anointing is back-burnered. Though she’s proven to be one of the best in the world, legacies are built on the Olympic stage. She missed the last one, and this one she didn’t have her best.

For now, she enjoys the same fate as Tori Bowie, Carmelita Jeter, Lauryn Williams and Alice Brown. Olympic runner-ups who got so close to gold they could feel its weight. They’re still bonafides. An Olympic silver in track and field’s marquee event is an incredible accomplishment.

Richardson’s ceiling is higher, though.

She could still win a gold medal in the 4×100 relay on Aug. 9. The U.S. figures to be the heavy favorite, especially if Jamaica is compromised.

Required reading

(Photo: Jewel Samad / AFP via Getty Images)