Julien Alfred ran a national record time of 10.72s to win the gold medal in the women’s 100m final at the Paris Olympic Games, securing Saint Lucia’s first medal in the nearly 100 years of the Olympics.

The 23-year-old kicked off the race very fast from the onset to defeat pre-tournament favourite Sha’Carri Richardson, whose slow start in the race saw her run a time of 10.87s to clinch the silver medal in her first Olympic tournament. 

With a time of 10.92s, United States’ Melissa Jefferson secured the bronze medal. Great Britain’s Daryll Neita ran 10.96s to finish fourth, and America’s Twanisha Terry crossed the line in 10.97s to earn a fifth-place finish.

Switzerland’s Mujinga Kambundji ran 10.99s to finish sixth, and Jamaica’s Tia Clayton ran 10.89s in the third semi-final but could not better her time in the final as she crossed the line in 11.04s, which placed her in seventh place.

Meanwhile, the only African in the final, Marie-Josee Talou-Smith, only managed one cross the line in 13.84s to finish last.