The ongoing track and field season is on the brink of closing, with the Diamond League final in Brussels set to be the major meet that brings it to an end. Scheduled for September 13-14, this contest is trying to live up to fans’ expectations as a fitting finale. The lineup in the women’s 100m event reflects that ambition, featuring reigning world champion Sha’Carri Richardson and Olympic champion Julien Alfred. The duo will also face off the next day in the 200-meter event. But who will come out on top in this season finale?

Currently, in 100-meter races, both Sha’Carri and Julien are tied 2-2 in head-to-head battles. In Paris, the St. Lucian sprinter got the better of Richardson. However, the American queen settled the score in the Zurich Diamond League rematch, where Richardson took the win, Alfred came second, and Dina Asher-Smith finished third. Will we see a repeat in the Belgian capital? A track and field raconteur has a different prediction.

According to Owen M, the British athlete might leave the other two sprinters looking disappointed in the upcoming 100m event. He expects Dina Asher-Smith to repeat her 2019 Diamond League final victory when she defeated Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. This prediction has left fans divided. While many doubt its likelihood, some believe Owen M’s comment is realistic. Regarding that, one fan posted, “She’s [Dina] really come into form post Olympics so it’s definitely a realistic possible outcome.” In Zurich, Dina nearly had a photo finish with the Olympic champion, missing second place by just 0.01 seconds.

That could be considered a tremendous improvement, especially since in Paris, Dina failed to make the 100-meter final. But in the Lausanne Diamond League on August 22, the 28-year-old powered to victory in the women’s 100m event, clocking in at 10.88 seconds. However, her times still need a slight boost to truly keep up with Sha’Carri. As per her fans, this is not a hard-to-achieve target. Especially, Dina’s late-season surge has rekindled their hopes for the former world champion. She, too, seemed optimistic about her chances to keep things on the higher side.

In the Zurich Diamond League, her ranking slipped a little—she finished third in the 100m event. But she didn’t stumble in her aim. After the Zurich DL, Dina Asher-Smith hinted at her plans for Brussels. Speaking about her strong comeback, her “competitive brain” noted, “I’m looking forward to having some more time with my coach next week before Brussels to just work on my form in the last bit.” Overall, she seemed satisfied with her performance this season. Yet, her current form doesn’t erase the emotional toll of her 200-meter Olympic experience.

In Paris, tearing up after making the semifinal, she notably ignored Gabby Thomas’s attempt to congratulate her. In the previous evening, she broke down in tears and left BBC’s post-match interview midway. Finally, her frustration was compounded by missing the podium by the slightest margin. Now, though, Dina Asher-Smith seems more settled and confident, leaving those emotional encounters far behind. But will that be enough to topple frontrunners like Sha’Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred? Fans already have their predictions.

Fans are looking forward to seeing Sha’Carri Richardson’s start! 

Fans on both X and Reddit have been buzzing with predictions about who will come out on top in the Brussels Diamond League showdown. No one is counting out Sha’Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred, or Dina Asher-Smith, but the consensus leans toward a fierce battle between the first two. Their faster times and recent Olympic success have given them an edge.

One fan summed it up perfectly, saying, “Dina’s great but this is Sha’Carri and Julien’s time. Zurich, last week, proved how strong they are down the stretch. Dina looked good until the end and got caught. Barring something very unusual, Dina will be competitive but won’t be pulling off an upset in my mind. I wish her the best though.” Although Dina clocked her season’s best in Zurich, she still couldn’t keep pace with Sha’Carri and Julien.

Another fan chimed in, stating, “No, she’s not going faster than 10.85s in Brussels, especially after what happened in Zurich being run down by both ladies. Is she capable of running 10.7s? Maybe, but in this Final? No.” Yet, few are completely ruling out Dina shaving a few seconds off her personal best.

Optimistically, one fan wrote, “Dina taking it, if not Julian…Have a feeling there will be a 10.80 winning time.” Amid all this, another fan threw Marie Josée Ta Lou-Smith into the mix, saying, “I’m backing Dina and Ta Lou.” In Zürich, Marie finished fourth, but she managed a second-place finish in Silesia. Could this pack be enough to leave Sha’Carri behind? One fan doesn’t think so, stating, “If Sha’Carri gets a decent start, she will destroy her competition.” So, with everything up in the air, who are you backing among these three? Share in the comments below!