Sports

Julien Alfred Hands Melissa Jefferson-Wooden First Defeat in Over Two Years

The Olympics 100m champion avenged last week’s loss to the world champion during the Zurich Diamond League

By Joel Omotto, Pulse Sports
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Julien Alfred got her revenge over Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, handing the world champion her first defeat in over two years at the Zurich Diamond League on Thursday.

Alfred, who lost to Jefferson-Wooden in Silesia on Sunday, was not going to let the American hand her a second straight loss as she clocked a national record 10.70 seconds to win a tight race.

With 2023 world champion Sha’carri Richardson and European champion Amy Hunt also in the race, it was a tough battle and Jefferson-Wooden looked to be cruising to victory until Alfred summoned a great finishing kick to catch up with her and edge it just at the finish line.

Alfred also improved on her personal best, clocking the same time as Jefferson-Wooden, who was just 0.005 seconds back at the line.

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Richardson completed the podium in 10.97 seconds, 0.01 seconds faster than Jamaican Tina Clayton while Hunt finished fifth in 11.04.

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The leading duo will now square it out in the Diamond League final in Brussels, Belgium next month when a trophy and $30,000 (Ksh3.8 million) will be on the line.

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