Julien Alfred is an Olympic finalist!

The rains came down on Derek Walcott Square, as athletes lined up for Heat 1 of the women’s 100m semifinals at the Paris Olympics on Saturday afternoon. The showers did nothing to dampen the celebratory mood, as hundreds cheered the start of the semifinal series. National hero Julien Alfred was drawn in Heat 2, against iconic Jamaican sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and world champion Sha’Carri Richardson of the USA. The three were among the top five fastest qualifiers, and fireworks were expected. Drama ensued, but not on the tracks at first. Fraser-Pryce, who had the second fastest time in the first round, withdrew before the start of the semis. The Jamaican and the American had previously had some issues getting into the venue, as both arrived independently of their respective team buses. But there was no news forthcoming as to the reasons for the withdrawal. Shrugging off the distractions, Alfred romped into the final with a time of 10.84 seconds, winning the heat and defeating the world champion. Richardson ran 10.89 seconds, but the crowd at the Square, and Saint Lucians worldwide, cared only to hear of Julien Alfred, the 23-year-old from Ciceron, the nation’s first Olympic track finalist. Alfred’s time...