There were tears aplenty before and after the women’s 60m final at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships on Saturday (2 March).
Tears of joy for Julien Alfred who came through late to beat Ewa Swoboda in 6.98, equalling the world lead set by her Polish rival in the semi-finals. The same was true for Italy’s Zaynab Dosso who was delighted after taking the bronze.
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But there was dismay for medal hope Aleia Hobbs who could not race due to an apparent calf injury having walked out to the starting blocks.
The American sprinter, who beat Dosso in the semi-finals, wept as she was pushed away in a wheelchair.
Dosso made a fine start and led until halfway. But Swoboda and Alfred were bearing down on her, and it was the 22-year-old from St Lucia – a country that had never previously won a medal at any global athletics competition – who finished fastest to take gold.
Zoe Hobbs of New Zealand was fourth in a new Oceania record of 7.06, ahead of USA’s Mikiah Brisco.
Having made history for St Lucia in Glasgow, Alfred will have her sights set on winning a first Olympic medal for her country later this year at Paris 2024.
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