As the clouds loomed over Stade de France, Julien Alfred settled in lane 6, hoping to tip the scales in her favor on August 3. The pre-race favorite, Sha’Carri Richardson, on her right, had her eyes on the prize. But as the gun went off, the Saint Lucian was quicker off the blocks. Holding on to her lead throughout, her national record time of 10.72 seconds was enough to clinch her maiden Olympic gold. However, the reigning 100m world champion had trailed right after in second place with 10.87 seconds on the clock. 

Unable to contain her joy, the 23-year-old took a celebratory lap around the stadium while the American walked off the tracks. But for the first time since Paris, the two locked horns again at the Zurich Diamond League. While track and field fans expected the 100m Olympic champion to blaze past her again, Richardson emerged victorious. The two will get another chance to end the debate at the Diamond League finals in Brussels.

As she prepares for one last outing on the tracks, Julien Alfred reveals what she will focus on. “I don’t want to use the word revenge. I never run against anyone. I do it for myself and just want to finish the season in style,” she told Athletics Weekly. Leading up to the Paris Olympics, the Saint Lucian has only one DL victory under her belt. On July 12, her blistering time of 10.85 seconds turned heads in Monaco. “For the same reason, I’m not focused on times either.” But how have things been for the sprinter since clinching the Olympic hardware?

Leading up to the Zurich Diamond League meet, all the 23-year-old wanted to do was win and go through to the finals. But training every day came with one massive downside. The sprinter had to make several difficult decisions, and in a pre-race press conference, she opened up about one of them. “I’m gonna go back home. I haven’t gotten a chance to celebrate with my country as yet, to see the youth of my country.” But maybe that’s the price she has to pay to stay on top of the podium. 

Julien Alfred yearns to set foot in her nation and celebrate with her countrymen and women. However, she hopes to end this season with a bang in Brussels. What comes after? “Maybe go for a vacation.” The Olympian clarified that she wasn’t sure where she would end up. But before we enter the next chapter of the brewing rivalry between the 23-year-old and Sha’Carri Richardson, let’s look at how the Saint Lucian fared in Zurich. 

The last battle of the season between Julien Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson

Sha’Carri Richardson hoped to clinch her first Olympic gold in the 100m finals at the Stade de France. While she couldn’t make it happen then, she eventually sprinted to victory in the 4x100m relay. However, she hoped to reclaim her 100m crown at the Zurich Diamond League. As the clouds showered the tracks at the Letzigrund Stadium, it felt like many would experience Deja Vu as the rivals faced each other again.

The American fell prey to her slow start yet again, trailing behind in 5th place by the halfway point. Refusing to let her crown slip through her hands, Richardson pushed through. She blazed past Julien Alfred and the rest of her competitors in 10.84 seconds. But this time, the Saint Lucian trailed behind, settling for second place with 10.88 seconds on the clock. While we don’t know who will come out on top in Brussels, it surely will be a thrilling conclusion to their exciting feud. Will you be watching?