Sha’Carri Richardson has called Melissa Jefferson a “soldier” after the Team USA pair finished behind Saint Lucia history-maker Julian Alfred in the women’s 100m final at the 2024 Summer Olympics.
World champion Richardson had been favourite but finished 0.15 seconds off Alfred’s 10.72, with Jefferson posting 10.92 and team-mate Twanisha Terry fifth – behind Britain’s Daryll Neita – in 10.97.
“Soldier – and it shows,” Richardson said, sharing a photo on Sunday of Jefferson on the track and responding to a post by Terry by saying the 25-year-old had a “heart of gold”.
Melissa Jefferson , OLY 100m Bronze Medalist 🥹🥉✨
— Melissa Jefferson, OLY. (@Melissajanae21) August 3, 2024
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Women’s 100m results: Team USA medals
Terry had called on herself to have “perseverance”. “Chin up, head high,” she added. “I want to be sad but my body won’t let me and I have no reason to be.
“Fifth-place finish at my first Olympics after the season I had is a blessing. Always thankful for all the support poured into me. The job’s not done: 4x100m relay up next.”
Jefferson called Richardson and Terry “my girls, my sisters”. “At the end of the day, I told them that, no matter what happens, I always have their backs and I know they have mine.”
Olympic medalist @itsshacarri 🥈🇺🇸#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/Vhmhe3Xyya
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 3, 2024
Julian Alfred: Jefferson ‘can’t complain’
The Olympic debutants were beaten by a supreme display from 23-year-old Alfred, who claimed her country’s first ever Olympic medal.
“I’m a baby in this sport,” said Jefferson. “I have a lot of learning and growth to do. And so I feel like those moments where I’m not in first place or not on the podium, I can take those moments and learn from them, and have moments like this to look back on.
“My first Games and I was still able to come out with a medal. I can’t complain about that… the main thing I told myself was, ‘You are not going to leave here disappointed and upset and empty-handed.’”
Team USA: 4x100m relay ‘pending’
Alluding to the relay, Jefferson added on social media: “Let’s see: world champion , Olympic bronze medallist, one more pending.
“I’m glad that I got the support of my village, because man, you’ve all been going crazy on this app [X, formerly Twitter] all year. But let’s make one thing clear: I’m fighter, I don’t quit and I’ll always give it everything I got.”
The relay heats begin on Thursday.
