“I was there to win!” Julien Alfred had only one goal in mind leading up to the 100m finals at the Stade de France: Olympic gold. However, 100m World Champion Sha’Carri Richardson was expected to be the favourite. But on that fateful wet night, the track and field world was unprepared for what was to come. On August 3, in front of a loud audience, the Saint Lucian made history by sprinting to victory. She not only outperformed her competition, but she also became her country’s first Olympic gold medallist.
While this is not the first time she has beaten the American sprinter, they will now square off again at the Zurich Diamond League. But since her unprecedented achievement, the 23-year-old has refused to back down. The Saint Lucian, who is currently seventh in the DL standings, hopes to add to her success in Zurich. The sprinter is attempting to qualify for the finals in Brussels and hasn’t missed a single day of training. However, her determination has resulted in a significant disadvantage.
Julien Alfred discusses the difficult decisions she had to make at a news conference prior to the highly anticipated event. “Yes, I’m going back home. I haven’t had an opportunity to celebrate with my country or to witness its youth.” However, this did not deter any celebrations in the island nation. Her compatriots had a peek of this spectacular occasion. The Prime Minister’s Office even renamed August 3rd “Juju Day” in her honour..
What are your thoughts on Julien Alfred pondering retirement?Is this the appropriate move, or should she go for greater glory?
Nonetheless, the athlete wishes to return to her own country. She went on, “So I really want to go back to Saint Lucia and celebrate with them, and then maybe go on vacation afterwards. Still deciding where I want to go.” 2024 has been a fantastic season for the 23-year-old. We don’t blame her for wanting to relax once everything is done. She won her first Diamond League race in Monaco, blazing across the finish line. Her remarkable time of 10.85 seconds jeopardised her competitor’s gold medal chances.
Even though Tamari Davis and Dina Asher-Smith finished in 10.99 seconds, the American beat out the British sprinter to take second place. In a post-race interview, Alfred discussed her race strategy. “I was especially prepared today not to make any mistakes and to concentrate solely on myself and my own race.” She subsequently placed her sights on winning her first Olympic gold medal. But Sha’Carri Richardson had the same idea.
Julien Alfred vs. Sha’Carri Richardson at the track
Julien Alfred is thinking retirement—is this the best decision, or should she pursue greater glory?
Following her Monaco Diamond League victory, the Saint Lucian spent the morning of the finals watching recordings of Usain Bolt’s incredible feats. This spurred the sprinter to make a promise to herself: she would be an Olympic champion by the end of the night. As rain fell on the purple tracks of the Stade de France, Alfred prepared to run the best race of her life. Despite expectations that Sha’Carri Richardson would easily win, the 23-year-old emerged victorious.
However, the American’s reaction time of 0.221 seconds predicted the outcome of the night’s most anticipated events. Julien Alfred, on the other hand, took an early lead thanks to her reaction time of 0.144 seconds. With each stride, the gap between herself and her competitors widened. In the blink of an eye, the Monaco Diamond League finished. She finished in 10.72 seconds! She became Saint Lucia’s first Olympic champion. Richardson trailed her in 10.87 seconds.
As soon as the race concluded, tears ran down the 23-year-old’s cheeks. She took a jubilant lap around the stadium while wrapped in the national flag. She hopes for a similar outcome when she plays her competitor again at the Letzigrund Stadium in Zurich. Will Sha’Carri Richardson’s slow start set her back? Or will she beat Julien Alfred and reclaim her 100m title at the Zurich Diamond League?
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