American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden wins world title in women’s 100m and sets championship record

By Issy Ronald, CNN

(CNN) — American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden became the world champion in the women’s 100 meters on Saturday, setting a championship record time in the process.

Jefferson-Wooden scorched down the track in 10.61 seconds, the fourth fastest time in history. She got out of the blocks fast and never relinquished her lead, opening up a sizeable gap over her competitors by the finish line at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

She eventually finished 0.15 seconds ahead of Jamaica’s Tina Clayton, the second-biggest winning margin in championship history, and 0.23 seconds ahead of Olympic champion Julien Alfred.

“It was not easy, it looked that way, but it wasn’t,” the 24-year-old told the BBC afterward. “A lot of preparation, a lot of hard work, a lot of staying grounded in who I am and trusting in my abilities, relying on my faith, my coaches, my village. At the end of the day, keeping the main thing the main thing and that is to focus on my execution.”

“I felt myself get out (ahead),” she added. “Then I blacked out after that, I was just thinking ‘get to the line, get to the line, get to the line.’”

“And then I crossed the line and I was trying to look at what time I ran,” she continued. “And then I finally saw my time and it hit me, ‘Oh my gosh I won, oh my gosh I ran 10.61!’”

Although this was Jefferson-Wooden’s first major title, she has confirmed her status as the current dominant women’s sprinter at race after race, going undefeated so far this season.

Now, she is turning her attention to the 200 meters as she seeks to become just the second woman in 30 years to win both events at a single world championship.

“I came in as a hunter, I’ve never been a world champion or Olympic champion in the 100m,” she said. “There will definitely be a target on my back next year so I’ll just have to learn how to maneuver through that stage as well.”

Fellow American Sha’Carri Richardson, the reigning world champion, finished in fifth while two-time Olympic 100m champion and five-time world champion Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce finished in sixth in her last ever race before retiring.

In the men’s 100m final, meanwhile, Olympic champion Noah Lyles finished third, behind the Jamaican duo of Oblique Seville and Kishane Thompson, respectively.

Elsewhere, Tara Davis-Woodhall won the women’s long jump, adding a world title to her Olympic title. She jumped 7.13m, far further than anyone else in the field to maintain her two-year-long undefeated streak.

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