Paris 2024 Olympics - Athletics - Women's 100m Semi-Final - Stade de France, Saint-Denis, France - August 03, 2024. Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia and Sha'Carri Richardson of United States after their semi final. REUTERS/Phil Noble
Shadowing Sha’Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred Reveals Secret Behind Beating Track and Field Icon
On a rainy evening in August at the Stade de France, an unexpected twist unfolded in the women’s 100m final at the Paris Olympics. Despite all eyes being on the heavily favored Sha’Carri Richardson, it was a 23-year-old sprinter from St. Lucia who stole the show. This athlete’s exceptional training and performance not only turned the tables but also highlighted that the Olympic track meet was brimming with inspiring stories and top-tier talent.
In 10.72 seconds, Julien Alfred blasted through the puddles and swept past Sha’Carri Richardson and the entire pitch. She beat Richardson by the largest margin in the Olympic 100m since 2008, throwing a massive curveball at what was expected to be one of the top stories in Paris. Her victory margin was 0.15 seconds. Alfred created history by winning this incredible match and giving St. Lucia its first Olympic medal of any hue.
Sha’Carri Richardson ended up with silver, which, while shiny, wasn’t quite the triumph she’d hoped for after the challenges of the past three years. Her training partner, Melissa Jefferson, snagged third with a time of 10.92 seconds. However, Alfred wasn’t done yet; she clinched a silver medal in the women’s 200m just three days later. A big part of Alfred’s success in Paris came from her stellar training environment, where she trains alongside some of the world’s top sprinters, including two-time Olympic bronze medalist Dina Asher-Smith, rising star Rhasidat Adeleke from Ireland, and Jamaica’s Kevona Davis.
