St Lucia’s Julien Alfred stormed to 100 metres gold while Britain’s Daryll Neita was left to reflect on a “super tough” evening after missing out on a first individual Olympic medal by four hundredths of a second.
Alfred crossed the line in 10.72 seconds under the falling rain at Stade de France on Saturday, ahead of the United States’ world champion Sha’Carri Richardson in second and Melissa Jefferson in third, Neita coming up just shy in 10.96, one hundredth of a second ahead of American Twanisha Terry in a photo finish.
There was better news for Team GB’s 4×400 metres mixed relay team of Sam Reardon, Laviai Nielsen, Alex Haydock-Wilson and Amber Anning, who secured bronze and set a new national record.
Neita, who goes again in Sunday’s 200 metres heats, said: “It’s super tough. Words can’t describe how I am feeling right now. I was so close to that medal that I dreamed of my whole life, but I do think I put together a good race and it was competitive.
“I can just bring this into the 200s now. At least I can go out there again and contest for a medal. It was fine, I didn’t notice the conditions, I’m from the UK, it rains.
“I put together a good race, it’s the Olympic final and I came fourth – my last Olympic final I came last, so it’s amazing progression but I really wanted that medal. So I am going to carry this feeling that I have into the 200.”
The result was still an improvement from eighth three summers ago in Tokyo for Neita, who became the first British woman to make back-to-back 100m finals since Heather Oakes in 1984.
Earlier, the British quartet secured Team GB’s first athletics medal of Paris 2024 with a time of 3:08.01, after qualifying third-fastest on Friday night.
The United States , who set a world record 3:07.41 in the qualifiers, settled for second after the Netherlands’ Femke Bol laid down a 47.93 anchor leg to claim the title for the Dutch in a thrilling finish.
Reardon said: “It’s a dream come true. We came here wanting to get a medal and that is exactly what we did. I’m over the moon for all of us.
“I think we all executed the game plan perfectly and to come away with a bronze medal, I can’t really believe it.
“It was electric. When I went out to do my block set-up, the French were really hyping up the crowd, so I fed on that energy and it carried me through. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime experience.”
Anning said: “I saw my team-mates in front of me so I wanted to keep pushing but I knew Femke was coming. I just didn’t want to let off, they had done the job but I just had to finish it off.
“I wanted a medal and I was just doing my part in getting there. The atmosphere was unreal, the crowd was so electric out there. I’ve got a great team out there and all I could do was finish what they had started.”
The women’s 100 metres final was guaranteed an all-new podium from Tokyo 2020 after Jamaica’s Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, the Olympic champion at the Beijing 2008 and London 2012 summer Games and the silver medallist three summers ago, unexpectedly withdrew from her semi-final.
In June, Tokyo gold medallist Elaine Thompson-Herah revealed she could not defend her title after sustaining an Achilles injury, while that Games’ bronze medallist Shericka Jackson withdrew earlier in the week, saying she wanted to focus on the 200 metres competition.
European 100 metres champion Dina Asher-Smith and Great Britain team-mate Imani-Lara Lansiquot came up short in their semi-finals, with the top two from each group advancing to the final showdown.
Two places were awarded to the fastest of the remaining finishers, but Asher-Smith’s 11.10 was not enough to make the cut, a time that left her 11th fastest from the 26 starters.
Asher-Smith, who joins Neita and Bianca Williams in Sunday morning’s 200 metres heats, said: “I’m just disappointed because I’m in great shape and have been running great all season.
“I fully expected to make that final, the race wasn’t even fast. I am very disappointed. I have just felt great.
“There are no thoughts, you just run. I know I’m in a lot better shape than that. I just go on to the 200m, but again I am excited to attack.”
Earlier in the evening session, Great Britain’s George Mills secured his spot in the first of Sunday’s 1500 metres semi-finals after escaping his repechage with the last of three places available in each round.
Sunday night will also see the battle for the men’s 100 metres title come to its conclusion, with Great Britain’s Zharnel Hughes and Louie Hinchliffe still in the mix after qualifying for the semi-finals on Saturday morning.
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