Olympic champion Julien Alfred got her revenge against American world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in a highly anticipated 100m race at the Brussels Diamond League final.
The Saint Lucian sprinter, who previously triumphed over Richardson at the Paris Olympics reaffirmed her dominance with a powerful finish that secured her the title.
Richardson who had been a favorite to win faltered and finished a disappointing eighth.
Alfred crossed the line in a stunning 10.88 seconds cementing her status as one of the world’s top sprinters.
It was a hard-earned victory especially after a shaky start from the blocks but she gained momentum halfway through the race surging ahead in the final stretch and leaving the field behind.
Close on her heels was Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith who clocked 10.92 seconds to take the second place.
Asher-Smith, coming off a challenging season, put up a strong fight but was narrowly edged out by Alfred in the final meters of the race.
Marie-Josée Ta Lou of Côte d’Ivoire secured third place with a time of 11.05 seconds, adding another podium finish to her impressive career.
Richardson, the reigning world champion, struggled to maintain her top form. She finished last in the field with a time of 11.23 seconds, well below her personal best.
The American, who has been in the spotlight throughout the season, failed to recover from a poor start and never found her rhythm.
Richardson had entered the race with high expectations, particularly after her recent world championship victory, but the highly competitive Brussels Diamond League proved too tough this time.
The race unfolded dramatically, with Alfred getting off to a less-than-perfect start.
As the sprinters burst out of the blocks, it appeared that Dina Asher-Smith had the early lead, with Ta Lou also starting strongly.
Alfred, however, demonstrated her incredible ability to build speed in the second half of the race. By the 60-meter mark, she had overtaken her competitors with a powerful burst of speed.
As the finish line approached, Alfred pulled away from the rest of the field, securing her victory by a clear margin.
Asher-Smith fought hard to keep pace, but Alfred’s explosive finish left no doubt about who would claim the top spot.
Ta Lou held on for third, while Great Britain’s Daryll Neita narrowly missed the podium, finishing fourth with a time of 11.14 seconds.
Luxembourg’s Patrizia van der Weken finished fifth in 11.16 seconds, followed closely by Gina Bass Bittaye of The Gambia, who clocked in at 11.19 seconds.
The USA’s Tamari Davis took seventh with 11.21 seconds just ahead of Richardson who finished eighth.
Belgium’s Rani Rosius the hometown favorite completed the field crossing the line in 11.37 seconds.