What is the women’s 100m world record? Who won the sprint race at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

Women’s sprinting is currently the best it has ever been, and yet the 100m world record has stood strong for 36 years. After a dramatic 100m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Botswana's Julie Alfred claimed the gold medal with a time of 10.72 seconds. But how does her time compare to the women's 100m record, and how did Team GB perform in the Paris 2024 event?

Alfred 'dreamt of this day' as she bags her first gold medal in 100m final

Video credit: TNT Sports

The Paris 2024 Olympic Games began on July 26, with the athletics starting on August 1.

The Stade de France, the country's largest stadium, is home to the athletics this summer – and it also houses the first-ever purple Olympic track.

Athletics is the biggest sport watched at the Olympics each time and never fails to put on a show. With 48 medal events across the 10 days, the Stade de France will be packed with action, passion and pride.

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Whether it be athletes from dominant countries such as the USA and Jamaica or surprise performances from countries that rarely win a medal, the fans watching always support each and every person.

For years, everyone looked forward to the men’s 100m and 200m final to see Usain Bolt take to his stage but, since his retirement, women’s sprinting has arguably taken the spotlight.

Women’s sprinting is currently the best it has ever been, with several women consistently running sub-11 seconds.

Paris 2024 gave female sprinters another chance to show why the limelight should remain on them, as they competetd in a thrilling battle for the grand title of Olympic champion.

Watch women's 100m final as Alfred storms to glorious gold medal

Video credit: TNT Sports

Who won the women's 100m at paris 2024?

The women's 100m final took place on August 3 and saw eight of the world's best sprinters compete for the medals.

Julien Alfred claimed the gold medal in the event with a time of 10.72 seconds, beating American pair Sha'carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson, taking silver and bronze, respectively.

Both Imani Lansiquot and European champion Dina Asher-Smith failed to qualify for the final for Team GB, having come fifth in their semi-finals.

The disappointment for British fans was made worse in the final as Team GB narrowly missed out in the event.

Doha Diamond League champion Daryll Neita finished the race in fourth place, just 0.04 seconds away from Bronze.

What is the women’s 100m world record?

Florence Griffith-Joyner (USA) has held the women’s 100m world record of 10.49s since 1988, which she ran at the United States Olympic Trials.

Almost four decades later, her record stands strong, but in 2021 it came under threat by the Jamaican duo of Elaine Thompson-Herah (who ran 10.54s) and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (10.60s).

Who has THE most Olympic gold medals?

With an outstanding seven medals across four different Olympic Games, now-retired Allyson Felix (USA) takes the title for most women's gold medals - just one shy of equalling Usain Bolt's tally.

Felix won her first gold in Beijing 2008 in the 4x400m relay and her most recent in Tokyo 2020, also in the 4x400m relay.

Allyson Felix of Team USA reacts after winning the bronze medal in the Women's 400m Final on day fourteen of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium on August 06, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (

Image credit: Getty Images

The athlete with the second most Olympic golds is Thompson-Herah (Jamaica) who has a collection of five medals already.

Thompson-Herah won her first Olympic gold in Rio de Janeiro (2016) in the 100m – this was swiftly followed by her second gold just four days later in the 200m.

Then in Tokyo, she retained both of her Olympic titles, whilst adding 4x100m gold to her tally.

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