The Women’s 100 meters did not disappoint and lived up to its high expectations. Stuart Weir focused on the women’s 100m in his second story on day three. The semi-finals saw Julien Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson engage in a thrilling duel, with the Saint Lucian athlete outstarting the American and appearing ready for the final showdown.
The weather was rainy, with a downpour as the world’s best sprinters competed for the Women’s 100 meters title. Stuart Weir was present and shared his insights on the final, which marked the first gold medal for the 180,000 Saint Lucians, some of whom watched the race on a large TV screen in the city center.
Thank you, Stuart Weir!
Women’s 100 meters – Olympic champion
Julian Alfred shocked the world by becoming the Olympic 100m champion, a feat that no one could have predicted just a year ago! In last year’s world championship, Sha’Carri Richardson emerged victorious in 10.65, followed by Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Alfred finished fifth in 10.93. Jackson opted to withdraw from the 100m to focus on the 200m. Richardson had already clocked a 10.71 this year, much faster than Alfred’s previous performances. Alfred had won in Monaco last month in 10.85 against a strong wind. However, the general consensus was that if Richardson ran a 10.6 or even a low 10.7, the gold medal would likely be hers.
The semi-finals also provided valuable insights, beginning with the unfortunate withdrawal of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce due to an injury issue, as reported by World Athletics. Surprisingly, only five women broke the 10-second barrier in the three semi-finals:
Julian Alfred 10.84
Sha’Carri Richardson 10.89
Tia Clayton 10.89
Darrly Neita 10.97
Melissa Jefferson 10.99
Dina Asher-Smith finished fifth in 11.10 and did not qualify for the final, marking the first major final appearance for Darrly Neita without Asher-Smith. Asher-Smith moved to the USA last year, leaving her longtime coach John Blackie to train with Edrick Floreal in Austin, Texas. However, 2024 has been a disappointing year for her, with a best 100m time of 10.96.
Alfred may have gained an advantage with a faster semi-final performance, but if Richardson could produce a 10.6, could anyone keep up with her?
The top five fastest sprinters in the semi-finals comprised the top four in the final:
Final
1 Julian Alfred 10.72 PR, NR
2 Sha’Carri Richardson 10.87
3 Melissa Jefferson 10.92
4 Darrly Neita 10.96
It is worth noting that heavy rain fell between the semi-finals and the final, which may have impacted times – except for Alfred!
The champion remarked after the win: “Olympic champion sounds really good, it has a good ring to it. Usain Bolt won so many medals. I went back this morning and watched his races. I’m not going to lie, it was all Usain Bolt’s races this morning.”
When asked who she was thinking of after her victory:
“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.”
A remarkable performance by a deserving champion.
