Sprint star Julien Alfred was in a league of her own at the Texas Invitational 2026 on Friday, 1 May, running a wind-legal 10.93 seconds to clock the fifth fastest time in the world this season – just one day after she set the world lead in the women’s 200 metres.
Jamaica’s Carleta Bernard, competing for the University of Texas, was fastest among the rest across two heats, finishing 0.41 seconds behind the Saint Lucia’s sprint queen in a time of 11.34 seconds. Compatriot Abigail Wolfe rounded out the top three at 11.42 seconds.
Alfred’s time was 0.04 seconds slower than her previous season opener in 2025, but that time was taken from a meet held in June. When compared to a similar start date during the 2024 season, the 24-year-old gold medallist was almost a quarter of a second quicker on Friday.
That said, her time was still 0.16 seconds off the world lead of 10.77 seconds posted by Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands at the Tom Jones Memorial on 18 April.
U.S. track star Michael Norman – Olympic champion in the men’s 4x400m relay – also ran his first 400m race of the season at the 2026 Texas Invitational, clocking 45.10 seconds to head a largely collegiate field.
Both athletes will look to build on those marks in the weeks ahead, as the professional season roars to life with the Shanghai Diamond League on 16 May.
READ MORE: https://www.olympics.com/en/news/athletics-julien-alfred-blistering-100-metres-texas-invitational-2026
