Julien Alfred Of Texas Blazes To 100m/200m Sweep At NCAA Championships
Julien Alfred Of Texas Blazes To 100m/200m Sweep At NCAA Championships
Julien Alfred of Texas ran away from the field to win the 100m and 200m titles in slightly wind-aided times of 10.72 and 21.73 at the NCAA Championships.
AUSTIN -- Julien Alfred of Texas ran away from the field to win the 100m and 200m titles in slightly wind-aided times of 10.72 and 21.73 at the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships at Mike A. Myers Stadium.
The wind reading of 2.2 meters per second was the only thing keeping Alfred from lowering the collegiate, meet and facility record of 10.75 seconds set at this meet in 2019 by Sh'Carri Richardson of LSU.
Same in the 200m, where the 2.5 meters per second reading kept Abby Steiner's meet record of 21.80 for Kentucky from last year on the books.
"If you look at all of the great sprinters in the history of college track and field, Julien has to be considered the greatest," Texas coach Edrick Floreal said. "When you look at her complete body of work this season, there is no doubt."
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ALFRED WITH A 10.72!!!!!! 👀 GET IT BIRTHDAY GIRL!!!
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 11, 2023
📺 ESPN2#NCAATF x @TexasTFXC pic.twitter.com/nmIndUDJ6E
With her victory, Alfred became the first Texas woman to win the 100m title at the NCAA Outdoor Championships since 2013. She also became the first Texas woman to win an individual outdoor title on the track since 2019.
Alfred credited Floreal with developing her into the champion that was on full display this season.
"My coach (Edrick Floréal) has been my biggest influence in my life, my five years here at Texas," she said. "Prior to beginning the championships, I went to speak to him, and he said let's not focus on myself, focus on the team. That changed the pressure. It made a huge difference."
Oklahoma senior Kennedy Blackmon finished second in 10.87, and Tennessee senior Jacious Sears finished third in 10.94.
Alfred, who was the top seed in the final, got out to a strong start and never looked back. She crossed the finish line ahead of Blackmon by a comfortable margin. Sears, who was the second seed, also ran a strong race and held off a late charge from Kaila Jackson of Georgia to claim third place.
The top five finishers in the women's 100m final all broke 11 seconds.
Alfred showed again why she has been the preeminent sprinter in the NCAA ranks, perhaps in the world, this spring with another blazing effort in the 200m where she pulled away from three competitors who all ran lifetime bests.
21.73!!! 21.73!!!! WOW.
— NCAA Track & Field (@NCAATrackField) June 11, 2023
📺 ESPN2#NCAATF x @TexasTFXC pic.twitter.com/M2Bssuo82V
Alfred said a change in mindset after last season was the springboard to all of her success in 2023.
"Changing my mindset coming into the season, I knew that this was my last year," she said. "I wanted to go out with a bang. On my hard days, I made sure I was dedicated to it, putting my dedication into those hard workouts."
McKenzie Long of Ole Miss was second in 21.88 seconds, Kevona Davis of Texas was third in 22.02 seconds, Jacious Sears of Tennessee was fourth in 22.04 seconds and Lance Thomas of Texas finished fifth in 22..36 seconds.
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