Sha'Carri Richardson's comeback halted by Julien Alfred, who brings 1st Olympic medal to St. Lucia
Sha’Carri Richardson’s comeback story hit a brick wall Saturday when Julien Alfred romped to the 100-meter title in 10.72 seconds to blow away the field and bring the first-ever Olympic medal to her island country of St. Lucia
SAINT-DENIS, France (AP) — There were small signs for anyone willing to look that the sprinter Sha’Carri Richardson might not quite match the person she has become.
The wobbly starts. The little details. The meek exit from the Olympic trials earlier this summer after such a promising start.
All the hype aside, Richardson was never a sure thing to win an Olympic gold medal Saturday in the 100 meters. On a rainy and odd evening at the Stade de France, 23-year-old Julien Alfred from St. Lucia showed there’s more than one inspirational story, and more than one great sprinter, at this Olympic track meet.
Alfred romped through the puddles and past Richardson and the rest of a largely depleted field, finishing in 10.72 seconds to throw a brick wall in front of what was supposed to be one of the best stories in Paris.
