The match-up between reigning Olympic 100 metres champion Julien Alfred and reigning world 200m champion Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, two of the marquee names in athletics, did not disappoint, and it was Alfred who pushed through to the win on Thursday (4 June) at the 2026 Diamond League stop in Rome.
Alfred clocked 21.93 to edge Jefferson-Wooden, who ran 22.17. Anavia Battle of the United States rounded out the top three in 22.39, with Britain’s Amy Hunt fourth in 22.52.
“Win is a win. I wanted to go a bit faster but I will take the win,” said Alfred afterwards. “I am healthy and that’s important too. I am a lot stronger now that I was used to be and that’s why I could push a bit extra in the second part of the race. I expected the pressure from Melissa. I am kind of satisfied with this Diamond League win, but still I wished to run faster.”
Alfred was slower than Jefferson-Wooden out of the blocks on Thursday. But with her rival right alongside her, Alfred pulled clear after the first 100m and never looked back, easing up only ever so slightly over the final five metres.
Alfred carried the world lead into Rome, a 21.86 from Austin, Texas, on 30 April, and the win backed it up. The Saint Lucian’s 100m gold at the Olympic Games Paris 2024 was her country’s first Olympic medal of any colour, and she added 200m silver in Paris behind American Gabby Thomas.
At last year’s World Championships, Jefferson-Wooden swept the 100m and 200m and was part of the United States’ 4x100m relay gold.