THE RIVALRY BETWEEN Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Julien Alfred has evolved to the point that any time they race, it’s must-watch athletics, near the top of the highlight list for any meet.
Jefferson-Wooden passed up the previous week’s DL Final, amping up the anticipation for Saturday’s 100 showdown. The American hoped to launch an encore of her Tokyo25 double a year ago, while Alfred wanted to maintain her edge from their last meeting, a narrow triumph in Zürich.
As the 17 women entered lined up for a pair of heats, fans wondered how sharp the principals would look and whether the likes of Jefferson’s training partner Sha’Carri Richardson or maybe Jamaican Tina Clayton would manifest as potential spoilers.
The first heat answered that question with a hard yes. Richardson, whose ’23 World Champs gold here remains her career peak, has had an inconsistent ’26. She had churned out three 10.7s (including a U.S. Champs victory), but also three recent DL races at 10.9 or slower — including an 11.07 at the DL Final in Brussels.
Richardson, who lined up in lane 5 next to Jefferson-Wooden in 6, trailed the world champ early, but came on extremely strong to finish in 10.75 to MJW’s 10.73 (0.1). With Alfred following with her own impressive 10.73 in heat 2. That gapped Jamaicans Jonielle Smith (10.94) and Clayton (10.98); an electrifying 3-woman showdown appeared at hand.
In the final about 90 minutes later, Jefferson-Wooden started in 4, Alfred in 5 and Richardson in 6. Smith had the best reaction (0.137), with Alfred strong at 0.144 and Jefferson (0.163) and Richardson (0.173) the last two.
But MJW, looking as good as she ever has, immediately dashed ahead of Alfred. Clayton led strongly through about 40 meters, but the American powered by her midrace. Jefferson-Wooden had a stride lead on Alfred by that point and the Olympic champ could not close on her, the gap extending by the finish. Richardson, meanwhile, was nearly as strong as she’d been in the heats, drawing within 0.02 of Alfred at the end.
MJW sailed through the line, all smiles and full of triumph, shouting “Come on! Come on!” as she celebrated. The camera caught her wildly enthusiastic parents on the sidelines, soon to receive big hugs from the Ultimate champ. Her world-leading 10.62 (-0.2) was just 0.01 off her PR from Tokyo25.
Alfred and Richardson nearly matched their heat times, at 10.74 and 10.76, while Smith caught Clayton for 4th at 10.94.
“I crossed the line with a smile on my face because only I know all the things I have done to get to this moment,” said the winner. “I just had to focus on myself and everything would work out well.… [My parents] were here with me 3 years ago when I was here only in our relay pool, so to have them here and share this moment with them is just priceless.”
“It’s been a great season,” said Alfred. “I really wanted to win but today was not my day.” Richardson, meanwhile, was pleased with her execution, but hated “that it took this long in my season to get more consistent with my race pattern. But I’m glad that it came right on time.”
With no Alfred or Richardson to battle her in Sunday’s furlong, MJW knows the possibilities ahead. “If I could win the double, it would just add to who I actually am. I am down to do things that haven’t been done before, I am down for innovation and for challenging myself. Coming here, running four races in two days, it’s something I haven’t ever done before… I said once I want to be one of the greatest athletes that has ever walked this earth and I mean it… whatever that looks like.”
Full results to follow.
