Melissa Jefferson-Wooden surges to gold and place among fastest women ever

American sprinter does not rule out chasing world record

Tia Clayton takes silver and bronze goes to Julian Alfred

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has dominated women’s sprinting in 2025. Now the American has put a bow on it by winning her first world title and conjuring up one of the most spectacular 100 metres performances in history.

That might sound like hyperbole. But the 24-year-old American’s winning time of 10.61 was not only a championship record but made her the fourth fastest woman in history. Incredibly only Florence Griffith Joyner, Elaine Thompson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce have gone faster than the 24-year-old Jefferson on this balmy night in Tokyo.