LONDON, UK – St Lucian Julien Alfred fired some warning shots ahead of her first-ever Olympic Games when she sped to a personal best and set a new national 200 metres record, in a second place finish at the London Diamond League here Saturday.
St Lucian Julien Alfred.The 23-year-old clocked 21.86 seconds, finishing behind American Gabrielle Thomas who produced a meet record 21.82 seconds, with Dina Asher-Smith of the United Kingdom crossing the line third in a season-best 22.07.
In a dramatic encounter, Asher-Smith dominated perhaps the first 110 metres to lead into the stretch before Alfred, in lane seven and Thomas, in lane six, reeled her in.
Alfred hit the front but only briefly as Thomas surged to catch the Caribbean star on the line.
“I don’t know what to think. I felt strong in the race,” Alfred said afterwards.
“I’m going back to Monaco to train and then I’m off to Paris.
“I’d love to get a medal in both but most importantly I just want to have fun. It’s my first Games so having fun is important.”
Alfred impressed at last year’s World Championship in Budapest, finishing fourth in the 200 metres and and fifth in the 100 metres, and is expected to be a serious contender at the Paris Olympics from July 26 to August 11.
Meanwhile, Jamaican Nickisha Pryce broke an 18-year-old meet record and set a new national mark as she won the women’s 400 metres in a world-leading time of 48.57 seconds.
Running out of lane six, Pryce controlled the race well down the backstretch to emerge as the clear leader coming off the final turn, and held well as Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek (48.90) and Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands (49.58) followed her home.
The 23-year-old Pryce’s time was also a new personal best.
Fellow Jamaican Roshawn Clarke clocked a season best 47.63 seconds as he finished second in the men’s 400m hurdles, Brazilian Alison dos Santos taking the win in 47.18.
The 20-year-old, the reigning national champion, said his eyes were now on final preparations for Paris.
“It was not the cleanest race but I came out here with the goal to run a season best or a personal best,” he said.
“To finish with 47.6 I’m grateful. Compared to this time last year, I am performing better. I’m going to keep working from here and try to improve going into the Olympics.”
Trinidadian Jereem Richards finished third in the men’s 400m, clocking a personal best 44.18 as Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith raced to victory in a world-leading 43.74.
Former World and Olympic champion, Kirani James of Grenada, finished fifth in a season best 44.38.
“It feels great. I did not not even know I was running that fast. I just wanted to go out and try and finish,” said Richards.
Jamaican Rushell Clayton, a bronze medallist in Budapest last year, finished third in the women’s 400m hurdles in 53.24.
