Saint Lucia and Dominica Just Won Their First Olympic Medals Ever—And They’re Gold

Photo: AP. Retrieved from news.sky.com

Two Caribbean athletes just made history at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games—winning their countries their first ever Olympic medals. And not just any medals; both were gold.

Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred beat out Team USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson, the reigning World Champion who was heavily favored to take home the gold in the women’s 100-m sprint on Saturday. Alfred won the race by 0.15 seconds. Another American, Melissa Jefferson, took bronze.

“I’m still trying to think of what just happened,” Alfred said after the race in Stade de France. “It hasn’t sunk in yet.” In Saint Lucia’s capital of Castries, people gathered to watch Alfred make history.

“I’m just looking forward to the celebration when I go home,” she said.

Alfred woke up Saturday at 5 a.m. and wrote in her journal: