St Lucia, a Caribbean island of fewer than 200,000 people, has fielded athletes at seven previous Olympic Games without winning a medal.
But Alfred has broken her nation’s duck – and takes home a stunning gold – following her heroics in a Paris downpour.
She did not look like being caught from the moment she hit the front, leaving Richardson among those in her wake as she took a commanding victory.
With her first global outdoor title secured, a jubilant Alfred continued to sprint far beyond the finish line in celebration before tearing her pinned name off her vest and showing it to the crowd.
“I’m thinking of God [and] my dad, who didn’t get to see me,” Alfred said.
“He passed away in 2013. Dad, this is for you. I miss you. I did it for him, I did it for my coach and God.”
Alfred announced herself at the start of this Olympic year by winning world indoor 60m gold – also a first by an athlete from St Lucia.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medallist has improved steadily during the season and set a new personal best – and national record – when she ran 10.78 at the start of June, before reducing her 200m best to 21.86 in London last month.
Based in Austin, Texas, where she trains under coach Edrick Floreal alongside Asher-Smith, Alfred reached the final in both the 100m and 200m at the 2023 World Championships – finishing fifth and fourth respectively.
She has now delivered on the world-beating promise she has displayed – and will reset for the 200m in a bid for further history, inspired by Jamaica’s sprint king Usain Bolt.
“Usain Bolt won so many medals, I went back this morning and watched his races. I’m not going to lie, it was all Usain Bolt’s races this morning,” said Alfred.