The 2024 track and field season was just dramatic. There were plenty of events that brought the audience to the edge of their seats. Currently, the off-season has kicked off, but it hasn’t stopped the community from looking forward to the 2025 campaign. The final rankings, especially the World Leads, are out, and in the women’s 100m, Sha’Carri Richardson has shined at the top step.

However, only three times has Richardson achieved such impressive timings in the top 10 list of the fastest 100m sprinters in the women’s category. So, is there an athlete who has consistently outperformed Richardson, despite being the fastest runner in the division? Yes, it is none other than her Saint Lucian rival, Julien Alfred, whose timings have made the same list four times.

Comparing their sprint timings

Throughout the entire season, Sha’Carri Richardson delivered so many performances that resulted in her becoming one of the favorites heading into the Paris Olympics’ 100m sprint. However, Julien Alfred’s unmatched speed defeated her in the finals, forcing the American runner to settle for a silver. This stunned many, as most of the fans in the track world expected her to win the race.

But where did Richardson secure the fastest time in the women’s 100m this season? It was the US Olympic Trials. Richardson was a favorite going into the event, but doubts lingered as she removed her name from the 200m listing. The community wanted the track star to run in both events, but she only had her eyes fixed on the 100m. So, with her prolific speed, she reached the finals easily, and in that event, there wasn’t any sprinter to stop her. Later on, Richardson set the fastest time of 2024, running 10.71 seconds, which is also just 0.06 seconds shy of her personal best.

According to the list provided by World Athletics, Alfred comes in second place on the 100m World Lead. Where did she accomplish this feat? The Stade de France served as her proving grounds, and she did prove all the doubters wrong. Outrunning Richardson in the finals of the 100m, Alfred clocked a blistering 10.72, that too with a headwind and conditions that easily could’ve hampered her race. Currently, this time marks her personal best in the sport, and she has many more to come in the future.

Regardless of what the future holds for these athletes, Alfred has achieved four of the fastest times in the 100m, placing her in the top 10 list of the category for the 2024 season. Except for her PB in Paris, she has achieved times of 10.78, 10.84, and 10.85 that stand proudly in no. 4, 8, and 10, respectively. Comparing it to Richardson, the American runner has only put up two more than the fastest time in 2024, which are 10.83 and 10.84, standing in no. 6 and 9, respectively. The data clearly demonstrates that, despite Richardson being the fastest woman this year, Alfred has demonstrated greater consistency in her performances.

Who else is included in this list besides these two sprinters? The other athletes who have made it to these rankings include Jacious Sears (10.77), Melissa Jefferson (10.80), and Shericka Jackson (10.84), all of whom have only registered a single time. The mere seconds that separated all of these athletes demonstrated the closeness of the competition in 2024. Speaking of competitiveness, Alfred once revealed her shared mentality both on and off the track.

Julien Alfred’s honest admission towards Sha’Carri Richardson and other competitors

Rivalries, in any sport, excite the fanbase by providing a topic of conversation between two specific athletes. However, when these sprinters get their legs on track, they see nothing except crossing the finish line first. Julien Alfred, who came into 2024 strong and also secured her country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal by winning the 100m finals, stated about the mindset created inside these sprinters. 

During an interview with The Telegraph, Alfred revealed the competitiveness, stating, “It’s almost like an alter ego. Sometimes I can be just regular, having a little chit-chat like we are now, or a little laugh with somebody and just talking so calmly. But when I’m on the track, I don’t talk. I don’t have any friends. I don’t care who you are or how good our friendship is outside of track and field; it’s just a whole different mindset, and I’m just hungry.”

Not only Alfred, but all athletes who have excelled to reach the top of the podium share this mindset. Furthermore, this reveals the tight competition that separates them and how they are fueled by nothing but pure determination to capture the gleaming gold. However, there’s a contrasting take from the athlete too, as she revealed, “On Instagram, if somebody posts a picture, I’ll respond to them—same vice versa. Um, we’ll have a quick chat in our DMs as well. Sha’Carri, she’s a very sweet person to me, and so I don’t have any issues with her.”

When on the grid, these athletes are beasts trying to make a mark. But all the rivalries come to an end once they return to their normal lives and stop sharing any track for the time being. Alfred enjoys the camaraderie she shares with her peers, including Sha’Carri Richardson, with whom she shares a rivalry on the grid.