Julien Alfred Wins St. Lucia's First Olympic Gold, Defeating Sha'Carri Richardson in Historic 100m Race

Julien Alfred, a 23-year-old sprinter from St. Lucia, made history on Saturday night at the Paris Olympics by winning the women's 100-meter final with a time of 10.72 seconds. This incredible achievement not only made her the eighth-fastest woman in history but also secured St. Lucia's first-ever Olympic gold medal, overshadowing the comeback story of American sprinter Sha'Carri Richardson, who took silver with a time of 10.87 seconds .

Triumph Amid Tough Competition

Alfred's victory was particularly noteworthy given the absence of several top contenders, including Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who withdrew from the event due to an undisclosed reason . Known for her consistency, Alfred had already outperformed Richardson in a qualifying round earlier in the day and delivered an even faster time in the semifinals .

Celebrating with Usain Bolt's Signature Move

After crossing the finish line, Alfred was initially in shock. However, she quickly celebrated by ripping off her bib and holding up her name high before ringing the bell—a celebration inspired by her idol, Usain Bolt. "You don't ever see me celebrate like that ever," Alfred said. "I'm just happy it happened in the biggest race of my career" .

A Historic Moment for St. Lucia

St. Lucia, a small island nation, made its Olympic debut in 1996 in Atlanta and has sent at least two athletes to every Summer Games since then . The office of St. Lucia's Prime Minister, Philip Pierre, congratulated Alfred on social media, calling her a "world champion" .

Alfred acknowledged the significance of her achievement, saying, "It means a lot to me, my coach, my country, which I'm sure is celebrating now." She also expressed hope that her gold medal would attract more resources to athletics in St. Lucia, where she grew up "struggling, with no shoes, running barefoot, running in my school uniform, running all over the place" due to a lack of proper facilities .

Looking Ahead to the 200-Meter Event

Alfred's Olympics story is far from over. She is set to compete in the first round of the 200-meter event on Sunday, facing off against Gabby Thomas, who won bronze in Tokyo three years ago . With her stunning performance in the 100-meter final, Alfred has firmly established herself as a rising star in the world of sprinting, and her future successes are eagerly anticipated by fans worldwide.