Julien Alfred made history at Paris 2024, claiming St Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal with a dominant performance in the women’s 100m final.
Racing through the rain at the Stade de France, the 23-year-old crossed the finish line in a national record 10.72 seconds to secure the gold.
American Sha’Carri Richardson took silver with a time of 10.87 seconds, while her compatriot Melissa Jefferson clinched bronze in 10.92 seconds. Great Britain’s Daryll Neita finished narrowly off the podium in fourth place, clocking 10.96 seconds.
Neita’s fourth-place finish is the best by a British female sprinter in an Olympic 100m final in 64 years, though she was disappointed to miss out on a medal.
“I’m finding it hard to find words at the minute, literally speechless, so close to the medal, so close,” Neita said. She remains hopeful for the 200m event, expressing her desire to secure a medal.
READ MORE: Olympic Games: Abdul-Rasheed Saminu qualifies for semis of 100m event
British team-mates Dina Asher-Smith and Imani-Lara Lansiquot did not advance to the final. Asher-Smith finished fifth in her semi-final with a time of 11.10 seconds, while Lansiquot ran 11.21 seconds and did not qualify.
Asher-Smith expressed her frustration, stating, “I fully expected to make that final. I know I’m in a lot better shape than that.”
Both Neita and Asher-Smith will now shift their focus to the 200m, which begins on Sunday morning, with hopes of adding to their Olympic achievements.
