There’s a new gold medalist in the Olympic women’s 100-meter, and she’s an islander! Julien Alfred won St. Lucia its first-ever Olympic gold medal in that event, outsprinting the favored Team USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson with a time of 10.72 seconds. The event was marked by surprises, including Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce’s unexpected and controversial withdrawal, and Shericka Jackson’s early decision to focus on the 200m. St. Lucia’s Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre congratulated Alfred, highlighting the significance of her achievement for the country and its future in athletics, and stated that there will be a holiday in her honor.
But Alfred isn’t stopping there. She competed in the women’s 200m heats, securing first place in the semifinal round with a time of 21.98 seconds. With Shericka Jackson now out of the 200m competition, Alfred aims for another gold as she prepares to race against the United States’ Gabby Thomas on Tuesday, August 6 at 3:40 pm EST.
Meanwhile, Jamaica’s fans experienced a turbulent weekend, with two-time Olympic 100m champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrawing moments before the women’s 100m semi-finals due to an unspecified injury. Her absence came shortly after a “rule change” dispute with officials over entry to a warm-up track, which sparked speculation. With an injury sidelining Shericka Jackson and Elaine Thompson-Herah suffering an injury during her Olympic trials, none of the Jamaican sprinters that stacked the podium at the Tokyo Games in 2021 were able to take home another win for the Rock.
In men’s athletics, a photo finish saw the USA’s Noah Lyles narrowly beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson for gold in Sunday’s event, with Lyles winning by five thousandths of a second thanks to a well-timed lean at the finish line. Many were shocked as the photo appears to show Thompson’s feet ahead at the finish line, however according to Olympic rules, whoever’s torso passes the line first is the winner. Lyles finished with a time of 9.784 seconds, and Thompson with 9.789 seconds, marking the closest race in Olympic history.
Elsewhere around the islands, Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic looks promising for a podium spot in the men’s 200m, advancing to the semifinals with a time of 20.04 seconds. The semi finals are set for Wednesday, August 7, with finals on Thursday, August 8. Grenada also celebrated its first bronze medal this Olympics, won by decathlete Lindon Victor with a score of 8,711 points across 10 track and field events.
