SAINT-DENIS, France — The fastest woman in the world isn’t Sha’Carri Richardson or Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. It’sSaint Lucia’s Julien Alfred.
Alfred shocked the world by winning the women’s 100 final at the Paris Olympics in rainy conditions at Stade de France. The Saint Lucian sprinter ran a national record 10.72 to win gold.
It's the first ever Olympic medal for Saint Lucia.
"It means a lot to me," Alfred said. "I definitely knew that Saint Lucians would be watching and hoping that they would get their first Olympic gold medal and first Olympic medal. And it came as a gold. I’m sure they are celebrating right now."
Sha’Carri Richardson placed second with a 10.87 and Melissa Jefferson's time of 10.92 was good enough for bronze.
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Alfred revealed that she woke up early Saturday morning and wrote down 'Julien Alfred, Olympic champion.' It turns out her note to self came to fruition.
"I think just believing in myself and trusting I could do it is what really mattered to me," Alfred said.
Richardson was the heavy favorite going into the final. Her time of 10.71 set at the U.S. Olympic Trials is the fastest time in the world this year. But Alfred upset Richardson to win gold at her first ever Olympics.
The women’s 100 final was missing plenty of star power due to the absence of Jamaica’s three stars. Elaine Thompson-Herah suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, Shericka Jackson withdrew from the 100 just before the Olympic track and field competition was set to begin and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce shockingly scratched just before the start of the semifinal.
Alfred, who competed collegiately for the University of Texas, had the third fastest time in the world entering the Paris Olympics. She won the 100 at the 2022 NCAA track and field championships while with the Longhorns.
The 2022 NCAA champion is now an Olympic champion, and the first Olympic medalist in Saint Lucia's history.
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HowJulien Alfred shocked the world
SAINT-DENIS, France —Julien Alfred looked the best through the qualifying rounds.
Alfred beat Sha’Carri Richardson in the semifinal and carried the momentum into the final.
The Saint Lucian runner got out the blocks fast and had an early lead. She extended her lead during her drive and acceleration phases. At 60 meters, Alfred had a stride lead ahead of Richardson and the rest of the sprinters. Then Alfred’s speed maintenance to close final 20 meters to the finish line was too much for the rest of the competitors to handle.
All Alfred’s phases in rainy conditions were superior to any other sprinter in the women’s 100 final.
"I’m thinking of God, my dad, who didn’t get to see me. He passed away in 2013. Dad, this is for you. I miss you. I did it for him, I did it for my coach and God," Alfred said.
USA settles for silver in 4x400 mixed relay
SAINT-DENIS, France — The U.S. mixed relay lost the 4x400 mixed relay — but just barely.
The Netherlands’ Femke Bol used a tremendous kick in the last 100 to pull in front of American Kaylyn Brown just before the finish line, finishing in 3:07.43. The Americans, a team made up of Vernon Norwood, Shamier Little, Bryce Deadmon and Brown, settled for silver after running 3:07.74.
Great Britain finished third, claiming the bronze, at 3:08.01.
Fans excited for Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone's 400-meter hurdle race are likely familiar with Bol. Bol is also a 400 hurdlers, and McLaughlin-Levrone's biggest competition for gold in Paris.— Lindsay Schnell
Weather for women's 100 meters
SAINT-DENIS, France — Weather could be a factor Saturday. It is sprinkling at Stade de France and in the low 70s.
Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce's late scratch due to injury
In a video posted on social media, Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who was a late scratch in the 100-meter semifinals, appears to be explaining to someone why she’s being denied access to the warm-up area.
"She said they changed the rule yesterday," Fraser-Pryce says in the video. "How you going to change the rule and then not say? So you’re asking all the athletes who, for whatever reason, don’t stay in the (athlete) village, they can’t come through the gate? We came through this gate yesterday and went through security and it was OK. They want us to go all the way up to where everybody is exiting … that’s crazy!"
In an email, the Paris 2024 press office confirmed to USA TODAY Sports that, "in reference to videos circulating online, Paris 2024 can confirm that some athletes tried to enter the warm-up track at Stade de France through the wrong gate. They were redirected to the correct entrance and were able to access the venue.”
Reuters spoke with Jamaican chef de mission Ian Kelly,who told the outletFraser-Pryce was "not able to compete due to an injury sustained during her final warmup." Kelly did not provide details about the injury.
The 100 was going to be Fraser-Pryce's only individual event at the 2024 Paris Games, as she did not qualify in the 200. (She won silver in the 200 at the 2012 London Olympics.) If healthy, she could still run in the 4x100 relay, where the Jamaicans are the defending gold medalists.— Lindsay Schnell
When is women’s 100 final?
The final in the women’s 100 is at 3:20 p.m. ET.
Julien Alfred heads to 100 final with top time
Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred beat Sha’Carri Richardson in her second semifinal heat, and it turns out she has the fastest time (10.84) entering the final.
Richardson and Jamaica’s Tia Clayton both ran a 10.89 to have the second-fastest times of the semis. Great Britain's Daryll Neita posted a 10.97 and Team USA's Melissa Jefferson ran 10.99 to round out the top five fastest times entering Saturday’s final.
Sha'Carri Richardson advances to 100 finals
The women’s 100 semifinal featured a couple major surprises.
Sha’Carri Richardson got a slow start in her heat and had to play catch-up. Richardson caught most of the other sprinters but Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia was too far in front. Alfred led the race from start to finish and crossed the line in first with a time of 10.84.
Richardson placed second at 10.89 to get the second qualifying spot.
However, the biggest shock was a late scratch from Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce late scratch for 100 semifinals
SAINT-DENIS, France — Jamaican starShelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was scratched from the women’s 100 meters just before the women’s semifinal.
Fraser-Pryce was not among the women on the track in the second semifinal heat. She was supposed to run in lane five.
Fraser-Pryce is a two-time Olympic gold medalist in the 100.
When does Sha’Carri Richardson run 100 semifinals?
The semifinals in the women’s 100 is at 1:50 p.m. ET. There are three heats in the semifinal. The top two in each heat, plus the next two fastest times advance to the final.
Medal favorites in the women's 100
Richardson is the gold-medal favorite in the women’s 100, especially after Jamaican star Shericka Jackson scratched from the race earlier this week.
Richardson’s main competition for gold is expected to be Jamaican veteran sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, Ivory Coast’s Marie-Josée Ta Lou Smith and Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia.
Fraser-Pryce, 37, is a three-time Olympic champion. She won the 100 at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and at the 2012 London Games. She has eight Olympic medals in her standout career.
Ta Lou Smith had the top qualifying time in the opening round at 10.87 and Fraser-Pryce’s 10.92 was the second fastest time of the first round.
Alfred ran a 10.95 and has the fifth fastest time entering the semifinals. Alfred’s season-best time of 10.78 is the third fastest time in the world this year.
Richardson, Fraser-Pryce and Alfred are in semifinal heat two, which promises to be an exciting race.
What other events is Sha’Carri Richardson running in at Paris Olympics?
Richardson is running in the 100 and 4x100 relay at the Paris Olympics.
Richardson placed fourth in the 200 at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials and didn’t qualify for the Olympics in the event.
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