Two years after helping Team USA win the women’s 4x100m relay gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics alongside Sha’Carri Richardson, Twanisha Terry and Gabrielle Thomas, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden has made it clear that her dream relay lineup for the future would look very different. The American sprint star has sparked plenty of discussion with three major names missing from her ideal team, including her Paris 2024 gold-medal teammate Richardson.
On August 18, Trackalerts.com shared a video of Jefferson-Wooden revealing her all-time 4x100m relay team ahead of the World Ultimate Championships. The lineup represented her idea of the best team she could assemble to create the fastest relay combination. The clip quickly drew attention because Sha’Carri Richardson, Julien Alfred, and Shericka Jackson were not among her selections.
However, Jefferson-Wooden was given the freedom to choose any gold medalist from any country, with one condition: she had to include herself.
“I’m going Shelly out the hole. I’m going Elaine second leg,” Jefferson-Wooden said in the video. She then considered who she wanted for the third leg. “I’m going, who am I gonna put third leg? I’m going Flo-Jo third, and I’m putting me last,” she added.
Jefferson-Wooden’s fastest dream quartet featured Fraser-Pryce, Elaine Thompson-Herah, Flo-Jo and herself. While Richardson did not make Jefferson-Wooden’s dream team, the two Americans have already enjoyed major success together on the 4x100m relay.
On August 9, 2024, Jefferson-Wooden and Richardson helped Team USA win the women’s 4x100m relay at the Paris Olympics in 41.78 seconds. The two Americans would go on to share another major relay title the following year.
At the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden and Sha’Carri Richardson teamed up again in the women’s 4x100m relay. Jefferson-Wooden ran the opening leg, followed by Twanisha Terry and Kayla White, while Richardson anchored the U.S. team. The Americans clocked 41.75 seconds to win the gold medal. Richardson brought the baton home on the anchor leg, giving Jefferson-Wooden her third gold medal of the Tokyo championships after her victories in the 100m and 200m.
But why did Jefferson-Wooden leave out two of her biggest international competitors, Julien Alfred and Shericka Jackson?
Julien Alfred and Shericka Jackson also miss out
Alfred has been one of Jefferson-Wooden’s biggest rivals since the Paris 2024 Olympics. Alfred won the Olympic 100m title in 10.72 seconds, while Jefferson-Wooden claimed bronze in 10.92. One year later, Jefferson-Wooden turned the tables at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, winning the world title in a championship record 10.61, while Alfred finished third in 10.84.
From 2026 onwards, their feud has continued, and both sprinters have been in the mix of the top contenders in the women’s 100m. Alfred has also been a thorn in Jefferson-Wooden’s side in top-level sprint fields, and she has been a strong performer for Jefferson-Wooden this season, including her 10.78-second win at the Prefontaine Classic.
Meanwhile, Jackson has been a big threat to Jefferson-Wooden, especially in the 100m and 200m. They faced off in the 2025 World Championships 100m final, with Jefferson-Wooden earning gold with a 10.61-second performance and Jackson finishing in 10.88 seconds. They crossed paths again in the 200m at Tokyo with Jefferson-Wooden taking her second consecutive individual world title in 21.68 seconds followed by Jackson in fourth place with 22.18.
Jackson has continued to make her presence felt in 2026, particularly over 200m, while Jefferson-Wooden has also remained among the world’s fastest sprinters. With Alfred and Jackson both capable of challenging her for major titles, their absence from Jefferson-Wooden’s dream 4x100m lineup makes her choices even more interesting.