Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Sets Sights on Staying Ahead of Sha'Carri Richardson and Julien Alfred

After a phenomenal 2025 season that saw her claim a historic triple crown at the World Championships, American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden is shifting her focus from chasing rivals to chasing greatness.

The 24-year-old aims to solidify her place among the sport's legends, with a series of major events culminating in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

The 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo marked a turning point for Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. It was there she transitioned from being the hunter to the hunted.

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The American sprinter made history by becoming the first woman since Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce in 2013 to win the 100m, 200m, and 4x100m relay.

But ascending to the throne as the world's reigning sprint queen comes with immense pressure; a target is now firmly on her back.

Over the next three years, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden knows every competitor will be aiming to dethrone her. Her first major test will be the inaugural Ultimate Championship in Budapest this September, an event pitting world and Olympic champions against the year's top performers.

Following that, she faces the challenge of defending all three titles at the 2027 World Championships in Beijing, before turning her attention to winning Olympic gold on home soil at Los Angeles 2028.

"I would honestly prefer being the hunter," Melissa Jefferson-Wooden admitted to CNN when asked about her new status.

"It’s going to be a new type of feeling being the hunted, but I think I’m up for the challenge. It will allow me to tap into another part of my mind I’ve not been in before."

"Finding ways to stay on top is going to be the biggest challenge, but it’s also going to be a fun challenge. 2026 is going to be hard to top. I set the bar really high."

Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has a proven track record of setting ambitious goals and exceeding them. Her journey has been remarkable since her first major final at the 2022 Eugene Worlds, where she finished last in the 100m, seemingly content just to share the track with her idols.

"That was a moment that definitely defined me, and then my drive ever since then has been shooting for the stars," she reflected.

A 100m bronze and a relay gold at the Paris Olympic Games bolstered her self-belief. A meticulous goal-setter, she wrote down her targets for 2025: 10.68s in the 100m and 21.9s in the 200m.

She did not just meet them, she shattered them. In the 100m, she clocked times of 10.66, 10.65, and a stunning 10.61 at the Worlds, making her the fourth-fastest woman in history.

Her 200m performance was equally impressive, especially for an event she only recently began to take seriously. Now, her focus is to maintain that top spot.