The semi-final proved to be an ominous portent for Richardson, who was sluggish out of the blocks and by no means seemed like reeling in Alfred, who may even afford to ease up as she crossed the road to clinch gold.
Alfred was in tears of celebration after sealing a sensational win, working to ring the trackside victory bell earlier than wrapping herself in her nation’s flag and embracing her American rivals amid a deafening roar from the appreciative Parisian crowd.
Richardson in the meantime was left questioning what had gone with an Olympics marketing campaign that had promised to ship a gold.
The American, who upset the percentages to win gold finally 12 months’s World Championships in Budapest, had been hoping to finish her journey to the top of her sport with Olympic gold in Paris.
Richardson had framed her marketing campaign as a bid for redemption, coming three years after she was barred from competing on the Tokyo Olympics after testing constructive for marijuana as she grieved the dying of her organic mom.
And within the build-up to the video games, the celebs seemed to be aligning in favour of the flamboyant world champion, with Jamaica’s defending Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah dominated out via damage, and one other Jamaican medal hope, Shericka Jackson, opting to drop out of the 100m to focus on the 200m.