In a historic display of sprinting dominance at Friday’s Meeting Herculis held at Monaco’s Stade Louis II, Saint Lucian Olympic 100m gold medalist Julien Alfred delivered a performance for the record books, clocking a blistering 21.51 seconds in the women’s 200m to claim the third-fastest time ever recorded over the distance. The 25-year-old speedster outpaced a star-studded field of global competitors, turning a mediocre start into a legendary victory that left the sold-out crowd roaring with excitement.
Alfred’s historic run not only shattered her own 2023 national record of 21.71 seconds set in London, but it also toppled a 31-year-old meeting record that had stood since 1993 – a 21.77s mark set by Jamaican sprint legend Merlene Ottey. Her time also jumps to the top of the 2026 global rankings, knocking British Virgin Islands sprinter Adaeajah Hodge from the top spot. Hodge, who had previously posted the year’s fastest time of 21.68 seconds just one month prior, took second place in Monaco with a solid 21.70s run. Closing out the podium was American Olympic 200m gold medalist Gabby Thomas, who finished third in 21.84 seconds. Only two women in track and field history have ever run faster than Alfred: the long-standing world record holder Florence Griffith-Joyner and Jamaica’s own Shericka Jackson.
Race observers noted that Alfred got off to a relatively slow start out of the starting blocks under clear, sunny skies, but the sprinter found her gear within the first 10 meters of the race and never gave up the lead, pulling away from the field down the home straight. In post-race comments, Alfred downplayed the importance of a quick reaction time, emphasizing that the final result is all that matters. “It’s not about the reaction time; it’s about how you finish. I don’t care about my reaction time, I was first, that’s all that matters,” she said.
Reflecting on the years of work that led to her historic performance, Alfred shared that she had spent months preparing for this breakthrough moment, and only realized the scale of her achievement once she crossed the finish line and saw the clock. “I have been preparing for this for such a long time; to finally see it pay off, I am just happy. 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. Because I have been looking forward to this for a long time.”
Alfred added that her result exceeded her own pre-race expectations, leaving her elated and hungry for more success. “I am just so happy to see that time. There are no limits right now. Today, I was actually hoping to see 21.6; I got 21.5, so I am happy nonetheless.” Her groundbreaking performance has sent shockwaves through the global track and field community, cementing her status as one of the greatest sprinters of her generation and setting the stage for an exciting showdown at upcoming world championship and Olympic events.