Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred stunned favourite Sha’Carri Richardson to win the Olympics women’s 100m gold medal on Saturday, etching her name into history to claim the Caribbean nation’s first ever medal at the Games.
Alfred – who had never finished on the podium at a major outdoor championships prior to Saturday’s final – conjured a superb race to win in 10.72sec as the USA’s Richardson took silver in 10.87sec and compatriot Melissa Jefferson won bronze in 10.92sec.
As the rain teemed down at a raucous Stade de France, Alfred, 23, dominated the final and took victory by a clear margin in a national record 10.72 seconds.
American world champion Sha’Carri Richardson took silver in 10.87, with compatriot Melissa Jefferson (10.92) third.
Great Britain’s Daryll Neita finished four-hundredths of a second off the podium in fourth, crossing the line in 10.96.
Neita produced the best finish by a British female athlete in an Olympic sprint final for 64 years but that will be of little consolation in her pursuit of a first individual global medal.
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“I’m finding it hard to find words at the minute, literally speechless, so close to the medal, so close,” Neita told BBC Sport.
“I’m healthy and I have the 200m to contest. I was so close to that medal and I really want that medal but fourth in the Olympics is something to be proud of.”
Her British team-mates Dina Asher-Smith and Imani-Lara Lansiquot earlier failed to make the final, while Jamaican sprint icon Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce withdrew from the competition before her semi-final.
Asher-Smith finished fifth in her semi-final in 11.10 and Lansiquot missed out after running 11.21.
“I’m just disappointed because I’m in great shape and have been in great shape all season. I fully expected to make that final, the race wasn’t even fast,” Asher-Smith told BBC Sport.
“I know I’m in a lot better shape than that. I just go on to the 200m, but again I’m fully disappointed. I should have made that.”
Neita and Asher-Smith will both now target a medal in the 200m, which starts on Sunday morning.
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