TOKYO, JAPAN – SEPTEMBER 13: Maboundou Kone of Team Cote d’Ivoire, Julien Alfred of Team Saint Lucia and Audrey Leduc of Team Canada compete during the Women’s 100 Metres Heats on day one of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 at National Stadium on September 13, 2025 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)
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Julien Alfred continues to maintain her dominance at Tokyo’s National Stadium. The reigning Olympic Champion cruised through the fourth round of the women’s 100-meter heats with ease, clocking the fastest time of the day. Alfred, eyeing her first 100-meter world title, posted a time of 10.93, followed by Great Britain’s Daryll Neita with one-tenth of a second difference, running the second fastest time in 10.94
World leader Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States, aiming to maintain her unbeaten 100-meter streak, secured a comfortable win as well with a sub-11 performance in the first round of heats in 10.99.
The current world champion, Sha’Carri Richardson, qualified for the next round as the fifth-fastest qualifier in 11.03 seconds. Richardson’s time helped her register her fastest time of the season, but she is expected to cut more than two-tenths of her season’s best to defend her title on Sunday evening. Overall, the U.S. team will bring tough competition to the blocks, with four sprinters advancing to the semi-finals, including world champion Twanisha Terry, who posted the 8th overall ranking in 11.06, and 28-year-old Kayla White.
Notably, Tina Clayton emerged as the fastest Jamaican in 11.01, followed by her teammate Shericka Jackson, who posted a time of 11.04. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce will look forward to one more podium finish before retirement, running a time of 11.09 to advance to the semi-finals.
So far, the 2025 season has been dominated by Jefferson-Wooden and Alfred, who have maintained top-notch momentum. The bronze Olympic medalist Jefferson-Wooden continues to be in her best form, remaining unbeaten throughout the season, with a personal best time of 10.65. Jefferson-Wooden was also able to dominate Alfred this year at the Eugene Diamond League. In her first race against Alfred after the 2024 Paris Olympics final, she claimed victory with ease in 10.75. Alfred, who faced her first loss of the season, placed second in 10.77.
“I’m just looking forward to tomorrow to take it up a notch. I already hold myself to a really high standard and expectations, so the pressures of the outside world, I really don’t feel them,” said Jefferson-Wooden, who will try to edge out Alfred once again tomorrow.
On the other hand, Julien Alfred has remained a force to be reckoned with throughout her injury-ridden season. Despite missing out on multiple meets this season, Alfred has built up a steady form for the last battle of the season, lifting the Diamond League trophy in August in 10.76 seconds.