When the 2024 season kicked off, Sha’Carri Richardson was the undoubted queen of 100m. She ranked #1 with a score of 1480. Sha’Carri’s track nemesis, Julien Alfred, was ranked fifth with a score of 1367. As the 2024 season comes to an end, the tables have turned! Get this: Alfred stands at the top of the chart at #1 with a 1473 score, while Sha’Carri has fallen to second place with 1431 points. If that wasn’t shocking enough, Sha’Carri fell despite clocking the fastest time this year!

So, what exactly happened to the great Richardson? She kicked off the season at the 2024 USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships. Sha’Carri clocked her personal best with 10.71 seconds that day. But this streak of record-breaking sprints was unseen when it mattered the most, giving Julien Alfred the gap she needed to sprint ahead. At the Paris Olympics 100m finals, Julien went on to clock 10.72 and win gold. In the same race, Sha’Carri fell behind, clocking 10.87, leaving her with a silver. Sure, Sha’Carri still has the fastest time on paper.

But unfortunately, in the world rankings, speed is not the only thing that matters! The world ranking system is a game of numbers. It is a mix of result scores and placing scores. Now, what does that mean? Every athlete’s performance gets converted into points. The points are designed in a way that factors in things like wind speed, competition level, and finishing positions. It should come as no surprise that Olympic medals, of course, carry some big numbers. And Julien’s gold in Paris gave her the upper hand.

Meanwhile, Sha’Carri’s time at the Championships earned her points, but her silver finish behind Alfred wasn’t enough to push her to the top! Both Sha’Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred, however, had a season of style. Before the championships, Sha’Carri was at the Prefontaine Classic, where she clocked 10.83 and won the gold. On the other hand, Alfred fell behind during the same and clocked 10.93 to finish second. She then followed it up with a lifetime best of 10.72 at the Racers Grand Prix in Jamaica. For Sha’Carri, however, it has been a dismal season.

The promises that the 2023 season performances made about Sha’Carri Richardson were unfortunately all broken in 2024. If you thought being number two was bad, imagine falling to rank below twenties!

Sha’Carri Richardson’s free fall from grace continues!

If 100m seemed dramatic, wait until you hear about the women’s overall rankings. Julien Alfred did not just cross Sha’Carri on the charts; she stepped into a different league. Julien crossed the top 5 mark and is ranked at number four with a score of 1506. And Sha’Carri? Well, she seems to be walking the charts backward. She has ranked 27th this year. Despite the 100m scores being so close, what exactly pushed Sha’Carri to the bottom?

The overall ranking, yet again, is not just about how well you sprinted but also how many times and in how many categories. And that’s where Julien had a massive advantage. While Sha’Carri’s scores still stood at 1431, Julien had scored 1506. It is not just the 100m that Julien ran, but also the 200m. She won a silver at the Paris Games, clocking 22.08. To add on, Julien’s performances at the Diamond League and the London Athletics Meet have got her points. Sha’Carri’s fall from grace in the overall rankings doesn’t take away her 100m wins.

But it does show just how competitive the world of athletics is! To be on top, you have to do two things. Win and win consistently. Julien has done just that, while Sha’Carri’s focus on the 100m hasn’t been enough to keep her afloat on the charts. As the season comes to an end, Julien Alfred is going down as one of the top athletes. Meanwhile, Sha’Carri Richardson needs to rethink and strategize because the competition is a force. If the queen wants to remain queen, she can’t be caught slacking!