“Not Going to Get Me Twice!’ - Melissa Jefferson-Wooden on How She Avenged Olympic Loss to Julien Alfred

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has been on unstoppable form in 2025, and even floored Julien Alfred and Sha'Carri Richardson during their Olympic rematch in Eugene last June.

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has explained the motivation behind her dominant victory over Julien Alfred and Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100 meters at the 2025 Eugene Diamond League Classic.

It was the first time the trio met since the Paris 2024 Olympic final, where Alfred stormed to gold, Richardson took silver, and Jefferson-Wooden settled for bronze. 

This time, the American sprinter flipped the script, crossing the line first in emphatic fashion to extend her unbeaten streak this season.

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Alfred, who had not lost a race all year, was forced to settle for second in 10.77, while Ivorian veteran Marie-Josée Ta Lou-Smith ran a season’s best 10.90 for third.

 Jamaican champion Tina Clayton (11.02) finished fourth. Richardson, still finding her rhythm after limited outings this year, trailed in ninth with 11.19.

“They’re Not Going to Get Me Twice”

Speaking on Shannon Sharpe and Chad Johnson’s NightCap YouTube show, Jefferson-Wooden described how she channeled the pain of her Olympic loss into a statement win.

“That race was basically an Olympic rematch. I remember being in the tunnel, telling myself: they’re not going to get you twice,” she said.

“In life, things don’t always go your way, but it’s about how you bounce back. You learn from those moments and grow from them. 

After reflecting on the 2024 season, I realized how content I was with my progress despite the challenges. This year is about seeing what a healthy Melissa can do. Now that I’m healthy, it’s about building on that and being the best version of myself.”

Jefferson-Wooden added that her current streak of form is the product of relentless work. “What you’re seeing now is something I’ve always dreamed of. To be living it is mind-blowing, though not surprising, because I’ve been putting in the work.

“When I run these times and compete at this level, it doesn’t surprise me — I’ve earned it through hard work every single day. 

“The only surprising part is hearing the history stats, realizing how long it’s been since someone’s achieved something like this. That’s shocking. But the performances themselves — I expect them, because I’ve trained for them.”

A Season to Remember

Jefferson-Wooden has been in scorching form since the start of the year. She clocked 10.65 seconds at the USATF trials for the Tokyo World Championships and has now become the first woman since Florence Griffith-Joyner and Elaine Thompson-Herah to record two sub-10.70 performances in a single season.

Heading into the Silesia Diamond League, she remains focused on sustaining her dominance — and ensuring her rivals know that Eugene was no one-off.