By Yusuf Bangura
We’ve just watched the 100 metres Olympic women’s final. We have a new champion—Julien Alfred, from the tiny island of St. Lucia (with a population of 180,000). It was a spectacular race that’s worth watching on YouTube if you haven’t seen it.
The pleasant tension of winning fair and square
The era of Jamaican dominance in the 100 metres seems to be over. Jamaica had won this event in the last four Olympics.
Their evergreen Pocket Rocket, the Great Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price (37 years), withdrew in the semifinals; two time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herar has an ankle injury; and Shericka Jackson is concentrating on the 200 metres.
Most people, including top pundits, thought that the flamboyant, self-obsessed American and 2023 World Champion, Sha’Carri Richardson, would win it. But she was no match for Julien Alfred, who was off the blocks like a rocket and led from start to finish.
The US has not won this blue ribbon event since 1996.
