SAINT-DENIS, France — Sha’Carri Richardson’s comeback story faced a setback on Saturday as Julien Alfred won the 100-meter title in the rain in 10.72 seconds, securing the first Olympic medal for Saint Lucia.
In challenging conditions with rain puddling on the track, Alfred stormed to victory while Richardson finished second by .15 seconds.
Richardson’s training partner, Melissa Jefferson, took third place with a time of 10.92 seconds.
Despite high expectations for Richardson, the absence of other top contenders set the stage for Alfred’s impressive win.
Following Fraser-Pryce’s withdrawal, Alfred emerged as a strong contender from the small island nation of Saint Lucia.
In a race that was anticipated to be close, Alfred’s strong start gave her a significant lead, leaving Richardson to battle for second place with Jefferson.
Richardson’s journey at the Olympics may have taken an unexpected turn, but she still has the opportunity to compete in the 4×100 relays next week.
America’s gold medal of the day came from Ryan Crouser in shot put, while the 4×400 mixed relay team secured a silver medal.
Jasmine Moore won a bronze medal in the triple jump, and Noah Lyles advanced to the semifinals in the men’s 100m.
