After a rain delay in the Stade de France, Julien Alfred of St. Lucia won her nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medal Saturday evening in the final of the women’s 100m, running 10.72 seconds–a new personal best and national record for the small island nation, and the eighth fastest time by any woman in 2024.
Alfred left Sha’Carri Richardson, the reigning world champion and the fastest woman yet this year, trailing behind her for silver (10.87). Richardson’s teammate, Melissa Jefferson, who had the fourth fastest time this year, took bronze, in 10.92.
Alfred is the 2024 World Indoors champion over 60m.
If Richardson had won, it would have been the first women’s 100m gold for Team USA since 1996.
But the most shocking piece of news on Saturday was that three-time Olympic champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was seen leaving the Stade de France moments before her 100m semi-final heat, and did not compete. Fraser-Pryce announced in February that she would retire after the Paris Olympics, but no one expected this.
Women’s 100m final results
- Julien Alfred (St. Lucia) 10.72
- Sha’Carri Richardson (USA) 10.87
- Melissa Jefferson (USA) 10.92
- Daryll Neita (Great Britain) 10.96
- Twanisha Terry (USA) 10.97
- Mujinga Kambundji (Switzerland) 10.99
- Tia Clayton (Jamaica) 11.04
- Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith 13.84
Canada’s Audrey Leduc, who broke her own Canadian record in the heats with a 10.95 clocking on Friday, finished fifth in her heat, in 11.10, and did not advance to the final.
Audrey Leduc sprints to 100m national record in Olympic debut
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Athletics events at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games are taking place from Aug. 1-11. Today’s coverage is brought to you by Canadian Running and New Balance Canada. Follow us on Twitter on Instagram for all things Team Canada and up-to-date exclusive news and content.
