by Stuart Weir
The Women’s 100 meters lived up to its hype. Stuart Weir made the women’s 100m the focus of his second story on day three. From the semi-finals, when Julien Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson dueled, it was suggested that Saint Lucian outstarted the American and looked ready to roll in the final.
The weather was wet, lots of rain coming down, as the best sprinters in the world battled for the Women’s 100 meters title. Stuart Weir was there, and he sent us this piece on the final and the first gold medal for the 180,000 fellow Saint Lucians, some who watched the race on a big TV screen in the center of a city.
Thanks, Stuart Weir!
Women’s 100 meters – Olympic champion
Julian Alfred is the Olympic 100m champion, something that no one would have predicted a year ago! In last year’s world championship, Sha’Carri Richardson won in 10.65 from Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. Alfred was fifth in 10.93. Jackson decided to withdraw from the 100 to concentrate on the 200. Richardson had run a 10.71 already this year, much faster than Alfred had done. Alfred had won last month in Monaco in 10.85 into a strong wind. Yet the view was that if Richardson ran a 10.6 or even a low 10.7, the gold medal seemed hers.
The semi-finals told us a lot, too, starting with the sad withdrawal of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce with, according to World Athletics, an injury problem. Surprisingly, in the three semis, only five women went under 10 seconds
Julian Alfred 10.84
Sha’Carri Richardson 10.89
Tia Clayton 10.89
Darrly Neita 10.97
Melissa Jefferson 10.99
Dina Asher-Smith fifth in 11.10 did not made the final, the first time that Darryl Neita has made a major final that Asher-Smith did not. Dina moved to USA last year, leaving her life-long coach John Blackie to work with Edrick Floreal in Austin Texas. But 2024 has been a disappointing year with a best 100m time of 10.96.
Perhaps Alfred had gained the upper hand with a faster semi-final but equally if Richardson could produce a 10.6, could anyone live with her?
The five fastest in the semi-final included 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
Let the record show that there was heavy rain between and semi and final, which may have affects times – unless if you are Alfred!
The winner commented afterwards: “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.”
On who she is thinking of after her win:
“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 great performance and a worthy champion.
