“One Day, One Practice, One Meet at a Time,” read the caption of an Instagram post from Melissa Jefferson-Wooden the day Tokyo World Athletics Championships began. It’s a mantra that has summed up her time at the competition. Boasting two sub-10.70s in one season and an unblemished record of 0 races lost, Jefferson-Wooden entered the Championships as a favorite for the 100 m event. After going 10.73s in the semis, the fastest among all, it was a question of whether she could fend off the competition in the main event. The American had to settle for bronze last year at the Paris Olympics, but this time? The gold was all hers.

2025 World Athletics Championships. The women’s 100m final. The stage was set, and the American national champion was putting her undefeated streak on the line. Julien Alfred, the reigning Olympic champion in the event was looking to win Saint Lucia it first Worlds title. Bang! As the gunshot tore through the silence of Tokyo’s National Stadium, Jefferson-Wooden launched out of lane 4 like a bullet out of a gun. “And they’re out and away. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden had a good start as she is out and away,” the commentator stated as she took the lead. A lead that she would not let go of for the rest of the race.

Alfred and Jamaica’s Tina Clayton tried to catch up, but the American was in a league of her own. “It is Melissa Jefferson-Wooden in a championship record,” screamed the commentator in excitement as she crossed the line in a historic 10.61 seconds. This was her third sub-10.70 of the season, but the records didn’t stop there. Not only did she set a new championship record, but that time also made her the fourth fastest woman in history. Only Shelly-Ann Farser-Pryce (10.60), Elaine Thompson-Herah (10.60), and Florence Griffith Joyner (10.54) are ahead of her. 

But what about Julien Alfred? Well, this time it was Alfred who settled for bronze (St. Lucia’s very first world championship medal) as Tina Clayton ran the race of her life (literally), coming in at 10.76s, setting a new personal best. Alfred followed behind at 10.84, beating Shericka Jackson (10.88) by a hair’s breadth. 

Sha’Carri Richardson came in fifth, albeit recording a new season’s best of 10.94s. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce ran the last 100m race of her years-long career, placing sixth. Recording 11.03 at 38 years of age is no joke, truly making her the GOAT of T&F in every sense of the word. And with performance Jefferson-Wooden gave today she soon might join those ranks.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden: delayed but not denied

“Delayed doesn’t mean denied,” this is what the mother of the newly crowned 100m world champion used to tell her. Two years ago, when the World Championships took place in Budapest, Jefferson-Wooden failed to qualify. She clocked 11.03 in the 100m finals of the USATF Championships, placing 5th place and missed on a qualification spot. Sha’Carri Richardson won that race in 10.82. But then, 2024 gave her a breakthrough.

In the finals of the 100m Paris Olympics, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the bronze medal in 10.92s while Richardson claimed silver (10.87) and Julien Alfred took the gold (10.72). And then in Tokyo she flipped the script entirely. The Olympic gold medalist, counting today, had only lost two races; the other was at the Prefontaine Classic, where Jefferson-Wooden won in 10.75, while Alfred ran 10.77. It was perhaps an early premonition of what was to come at the World Championships

Other than today, Jefferson also clocked 10.66 at the Silesia Diamond League and 10.65 at the USATF Outdoor Championships – the top three fastest times of the 2025 season. Her next target is the 200m title now. With Gabby Thomas out, she is America’s hope. Can she beat Julien Alfred there as well?