St. Lucia’s sprint queen Julien Alfred put out an impressive performance last weekend in the 100m sprint of the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Oregon, USA.
The Wanda Diamond League event saw Alfred come in second with a time of 10.77, beaten only by American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden who clocked 10.75.
The race brought some big names to the line including Sha’Carri Richardson, Dina Asher-Smith, Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith and Jamaican Tina Claton.
Jefferson-Wooden was off the blocks faster than Alfred. However, the Olympic champion moved briskly alongside the home runner with the pair well clear of the rest of the pact. Jefferson-Wooden maintained the narrow lead through to the finish line, recording a time just shy of world lead of 10.73 set at Philadelphia Grand Slam Track meet, although this run in Eugene was into a 1.5m/s headwind.
Alfred suffered her first defeat of the year as she took second in 10.77, with Ivorian veteran Marie-Josee Ta Lou-Smith clocking a season’s best 10.90 in third. Jamaican champion Tina Clayton (11.02) was fourth.
Sha’Carri Richardson, who had just one previous run under her belt this season – in Tokyo in April – was never competitive as she finished ninth in a season’s best 11.19.
1. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden (USA) 10.75 seconds
2. Julien Alfred (LCA) 10.77
3. Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith (CIV) 10.90
4. Tina Clayton (JAM) 11.02
5. Favour Ofili (NGR) 11.09
6. Dina Asher-Smith (GBR) 11.14
7. Twanisha Terry (USA) 11.17
8. Maia McCoy (USA) 11.17
9. Sha’Carri Richardson (USA) 11.19
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