Julien Alfred wins Monaco Diamond League 200m in St Lucian record 21.51 seconds

MONACO, Monaco. Olympic sprint champion Julien Alfred produced a historic run to win the women’s 200 metres at the Monaco Diamond League in a meet and St Lucian national record of 21.51 seconds.

The 25-year-old finished ahead of Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands and American Gabrielle Thomas.

Alfred and Thomas were level entering the final straight before Alfred pulled clear, lowering her personal best by two-tenths of a second.

Among the fastest ever

Her time was the fastest in the world this year and the third-fastest in history, behind only Florence Griffith-Joyner’s world record of 21.34 seconds and Shericka Jackson’s 21.41 seconds.

Hodge, who arrived in Monaco as the world leader after running 21.68 seconds at last month’s NCAA Championships in Eugene, finished strongly to take second in 21.76 seconds, overtaking Thomas, who was third in 21.84 seconds.

‘No limits’

“I have been preparing for this for such a long time, to finally see it pay off, I am just happy,” Alfred said after the race.

“I didn’t realise how fast it was till I crossed the line. I looked at the clock and saw my time and that’s why I was screaming like at the Olympics,” she said.

“There are no limits right now. Today, I was actually hoping to see 21.6, I got 21.5, so I am happy nonetheless.”