Julien Alfred had already shown his cards in the second semi-final of the 100 meters: he arrived ahead of the American Sha’Carri Richardsonthe big favorite to win the gold after the Jamaican’s unexpected loss Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. More: with 10.84 she had set the best time of the eight finalists.
Some doubted the mettle of the woman born in Saint Lucia 23 years ago, who was competing in the Olympic Games for the first time in her career. But Alfred did not hesitate and won the race from start to finish to win the gold and to end the reign of Jamaica, the winning country in the last 4 Games (Fraser Pryce in Beijing 2008 and London 2012 and Elaine Thompson Herah in Rio de Janeiro 2016 and Tokyo 2020). Other information: Seoul 1988 was the last time Jamaica did not win a medal in the women’s 100 meters.
Alfred achieved a mark of 10S72. In second place was Richardson, with 10.87, and third was also American Jefferson Melissa, with 10.92. There is also a peculiarity: Alfred participated in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games and won the silver medal. Who won the gold? The Nigerian Rosemary Chukwuma, who here in Paris could not pass the semifinals.
As soon as he crossed the finish line, Julien Alfred went to look for a flag of his country to run and celebrate in the rain of Paris. After all, it is the first medal – of any color – in the history of the island of no more than 180,000 inhabitants that will begin to be known in the world because from that land was born, neither more nor less, the fastest woman in the world. Or at least the Olympic gold winner.