Julien Alfred, a former Longhorn track star, crosses the 100m final finish line. Photo: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
All eyes were on Sha'Carri Richardson's Olympic comeback Saturday, but it was Saint Lucia's Julien Alfred, a University of Texas graduate, who captured the gold medal in the 100-meter finals.
Catch up quick: Alfred was named the 2023 NCAA National Track Athlete of the Year while at UT, where she competed from 2018 through 2023, and the win was the first Olympic medal for St. Lucia.
Richardson finished in 10.87 seconds, behind Alfred's 10.72. Team USA's Melissa Jefferson was .05 seconds behind her teammate from Dallas, completing the race in 10.92 seconds.
What they're saying: "This morning I woke up and wrote it down, 'Julien Alfred, Olympic champion,'" Alfred said after the race. "So I think believing in myself really was important."
What's next:Alfred will run in the semi-finals of the 200-meter event today. The first of three semi-final rounds kick off at 1:45pm, and the final is scheduled for 2:40pm tomorrow.
