Track fans across the USA are still reeling from the shock. Just moments ago, the reigning women’s 100m world champion, Sha’Carri Richardson, was handed an unexpected defeat by Julien Alfred at the Paris Olympics, forcing the 24-year-old to settle for second place and a silver medal. Despite setting the World Lead at the US Olympic Team Trials, Richardson’s quest for golden glory on the grand stage fell short. As the world grapples with her loss, let’s turn our attention to the athlete who dashed the Dallas native’s hopes.

Julien Alfred delivered a breathtaking performance, clocking in at a sensational 10.72 seconds to claim gold in the 100m dash in the French capital. According to her World Athletics profile, the 23-year-old sprinter hails from Saint Lucia, a picturesque island nation in the Caribbean. Alfred has been honing her skills in the United States, proudly representing the Texas Longhorns athletics contingent.

In the glow of her triumph, Alfred’s journey from the small island of Saint Lucia to Olympic gold is a testament to her talent and determination. Her victory not only marks a personal milestone but also shines a spotlight on the burgeoning athletic prowess of her homeland. Alfred’s spot on the top of the podium marks the first-ever medal for her country on the big stage, ever since Saint Lucia first participated in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

As soon as Alfred’s achievement became public knowledge, fans scurried to know if she could finally edge past the iconic Florence Griffith-Joyner. Flo-Jo’s stellar 10.49 from 1988 is a benchmark that has inspired generations of sprinters. However, it looks like the American’s record remains intact, as Alfred’s 10.72-second finish at the French capital was miles behind the late runner’s achievement.

On the other hand, things could have turned out very differently in the women’s 100m dash, and many fans didn’t get to see the thriller they had hoped for.

Julien Alfred could have had a steeper climb, but fate came to aid

Along with Sha’Carri, Jamaican phenome Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce was another favorite to win the coveted “fastest woman in the world” title at the 33rd Olympic Games. However, the three-time Olympic gold medalist was even barred from warming up before yesterday’s semifinal event. The feud transpired after the five-time Olympian arrived at the Stade de France separately, and not with the team bus. The security guard at the entrance refused to let her in and notified her about a rule change that specified that athletes would have to arrive in their designated vehicles. The conundrum spiraled and Shelly-Ann slammed the fact that new rules were implemented without notifying the participants. The speculative clouds became more dense when Fraser-Pryce pulled out of the semifinal, where she was also supposed to go toe-to-toe with Sha’Carri. However, it was soon revealed that a hamstring injury during warming up ended Shelly’s hopes of making a sonorous bang in her last Olympics.

However, while controversies are a part and parcel of an event of this magnitude, fans can’t help but galore at the triumph of the new star that seems to be hogging all the attention of the track community at the moment. With the 23-year-old making her mark emphatically on the biggest sporting stage there is, it remains to be seen if she can follow up on the success in the coming days or if her victory proves to be a one-time affair before throttling her into oblivion.