Saint Lucian sprint sensation Julien Alfred will run the women’s 100m at the Weltklasse Zurich Diamond League on September 5, 2024, in Zurich, Switzerland. The race also stages the first meeting between Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson since the Duel at Paris 2024, where Alfred took gold.
Alfred became historic in the women’s 100 meters in the latest national record for Saint Lucia, running 10.72 seconds. Her victory secured the first-ever Olympic medal for the country since its inception in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, USA. After a strong challenge from Sha’Carri Richardson, who had fallen behind at the start, Alfred controlled the finish to place second and grab the silver.
Julia also finished second in the women’s 200 meters at the Olympics, crossing the finish line with 22.08 seconds, just behind Gabrielle Thomas. The two great performances entailed Alfred being one of the best sprinters in the Games. Earlier in the season, Alfred set a new national record of 21.86 seconds in the women’s 200 meters at the London Diamond League; this further underlined her excellent form of performance headed to the Olympics.
Besides her Olympic success, Alfred claimed gold in the 60 meters at the World Athletics Indoor Championships. The collegiate star became the first woman in NCAA history to run sub-seven seconds in the 60 meters in March 2023.
One of the most highly-anticipated rematches will come at the Zurich Diamond League, where redemption awaits for Richardson. She has notched some excellent form lately, including a win at the Prefontaine Classic earlier this year.
Most of all, Alfred’s triumphs, above all her Olympic gold, symbolize her tenacity, strong will, and pride in Saint Lucia. She serves as an inspiration to the young athletes and mainly to the female ones for pursuing their goals in every possible respect.
This lineup in Zurich is simply all-star studded: European champion Dina Asher-Smith, Olympic finalists like Daryll Neita, Mujinga Kambundji, and Marie-Josée Ta Lou-the race could hardly promise to be highly competitive, with each athlete bringing a specific strength to the track.
When Alfred heads to Zurich, the world will be watching. She will face many of the best there, with some contingents like Richardson champing for their comeback. The consistent amazement of Alfred’s speed and grit could further entrench her among the fastest women in history with her outing in Zurich.
