Julien Alfred delivered a commanding performance at the Monaco Diamond League meeting on Friday, reinforcing her status as a leading contender for a 100m medal at the upcoming Olympic Games in Paris.
Alfred secured victory in the women’s 100m with an impressive time of 10.85 seconds, outpacing Tamari Davis and Dina Asher-Smith, who both clocked 10.99 seconds.
Reflecting on her race, Alfred shared, “I was specially prepared today not to make a mistake and to just focus on myself and my own race. I felt great during the race but now my legs hurt a bit because I did heavy training. Of course, I cannot complain right now, as I am taking home the Diamond League win. I am getting better with each race, I run more relaxed as well. I feel confident. I know that all I need to do is to trust my coach and to trust myself. The coach knows what is best for me. I really love this Monaco crowd and the introduction of the event with the lights. I will get back to practice and just focus on my preparations for Paris.”
Growing form and confidence
Alfred’s victory underscores her growing form and confidence as she heads towards the Olympic Games. Her ability to perform under pressure and continue improving with each race makes her a formidable contender for the podium in Paris.
In other events, Cuba’s Leyanis Perez Hernandez triumphed in the women’s triple jump with a leap of 14.96m, edging out Dominica’s Thea LaFond, who jumped 14.87m, and Ukraine’s Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk, who recorded 14.81m. Jamaican athletes Shanieka Ricketts and Ackelia Smith finished fourth and fifth with jumps of 14.67m and 14.30m, respectively.
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo dominated the men’s 200m, winning in 19.87 seconds. Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic finished second in 20.02 seconds, while Uganda’s Gracious Tarsis Orogot took third in 20.32 seconds. Matthew Hudson placed fourth with a time of 20.43 seconds.
Epic showdown
In an epic showdown in the men’s 400m hurdles, USA’s Rai Benjamin triumphed over Olympic champion Karsten Warholm, clocking a blazing 46.67 seconds. Warholm finished a close second in 46.73 seconds, with Brazil’s Alison dos Santos taking third in 47.18 seconds. Jamaica’s Malik James-King also impressed, running a fast 47.73 seconds despite hitting hurdles nine and 10, which slowed his momentum.
USA’s Quincy Hall delivered a world-leading and lifetime best performance in the men’s 400m, winning in a commanding 43.80 seconds. Fellow American Vernon Norwood finished second with a season’s best 44.34 seconds, while South Africa’s Lythe Pillay took third in 44.58 seconds.
Rhasidat Adeleke of Ireland was a dominant winner in the women’s 400m, clocking 49.17 seconds. Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands finished second with a lifetime best of 49.64 seconds, and Kendall Ellis of the USA took third in 50.39 seconds.
The Monaco Diamond League meeting showcased some of the world’s best athletic talents, setting the stage for an exciting build-up to the Olympic Games in Paris. With performances like Julien Alfred’s and others, the anticipation for the upcoming Olympics continues to grow.
