Jefferson-Wooden, Alfred Lead 100m Heats at World Championships

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Julien Alfred are headlining the women's 100m event at the 2025 World Track and Field Championships in Tokyo, both advancing comfortably through the heats and semi-finals with top times of 10.73 seconds and 10.93 seconds respectively. Jefferson-Wooden, unbeaten this season and holding the world-leading time of 10.65 seconds, is a strong favorite after recently defeating Alfred at the Eugene Diamond League. Alfred, the reigning Olympic champion, has bounced back from injury and continues to seek her first individual world title, setting the fastest time in one of the heats. Defending world champion Sha'Carri Richardson qualified for the semi-finals but has struggled to break 11 seconds this season, making the Jefferson-Wooden and Alfred rivalry the focal point of the championship. Other notable competitors advancing include Jamaica's Tina Clayton, Shericka Jackson, and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce, who is competing in her final championship before retirement. The final promises a dramatic showdown among these elite sprinters as they compete for the world title.