Julien Alfred completes sprint double, beats Ofili in 200m with second fastest time in history
University of Texas’ Julien Alfred sped to the second fastest time in history to beat Nigeria and Lousiana State University’s Favour Ofili to the 200m gold medal as the 21 year old successfully completed a sprint double at the 2023 NCAA indoor championships at the Alburqueque Conventional Centre in Alburqueque, New Mexico early Sunday morning.
The Saint Lucia athlete ran 22.01, the second fastest in the world all-time list behind Jamaican, Merlene Ottey’s 21.87 run in 1993 to surprise the Nigerian (22.20) who in the semifinal ran a then world lead of 22.11 to jump into the front of the queue as favourite for the gold medal in the event.
Alfred obviously reserved her best for the last as she stormed home in a lifetime best to shatter all available records in both the NCAA and the USA to complete her sprint double. She’s the first in University of Texas history to win the sprints double.
The 21 year old had earlier made the headlines in the 60m when she raced home in another lifetime best time of 6.94 to not only rewrite this year the Collegiate record in the event, but she also tied Alexia Hobbs as the 2023 world leader in the event and joint second fastest ever in the world in the history of the 60m event.
Ofili has now been denied the chance to mount the podium as NCAA 200m indoor champion twice in the last two years.
Last year, Abby Steiner ran 22.16 to beat the Nigerian to the 200m title in Alabama.
Inspite of her inability to win the gold medal, Ofili’s 2023 indoor season has been phenomenal. She entered the year with a 22.46 best in the 200m and finishes it with a new 22.11 African record and a silver medal.
