Melissa Out of Sha'Carri's Way

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Publication by EssentiallySports

July 18, 2026 | Edition #636

Hey Athletic Fans,

The sprint rivalry everyone wanted to see will have to wait after Melissa Jefferson-Wooden's late withdrawal from the 100m at the U.S. Championships. From Gabby Thomas' world-record outlook to Julien Alfred's difficult week and the latest Olympic talking points, here's what's making headlines today.





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Can Gabby Thomas or Julien Alfred Break FloJo's 200m World Record?

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Teenager Kelly Ann Doualla stormed to European U18 100m gold in while setting a new European U18 record. Watch her run below.


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On July 18, 1976, Nadia Comăneci made sporting history at the Montreal Olympics, becoming the first gymnast to score a perfect 10 in Olympic history at just 14 years old. She went on to record seven perfect 10s during the Games and would end the Games with five medals (3 golds). Her performance and her legacy later earned her the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award.


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