Melissa Jefferson-Wooden Makes History with 100m, 200m Golds at World Championships

Five days after winning the 100 meters at the 2025 World Championships, Melissa Jefferson-Wooden added another gold medal in the 200 meters to her trophy case on Friday.

Jefferson-Wooden became the first American woman to sweep the 100 and 200 meters at the World Championships, posting a time of 21.68 seconds in the 200 that stands as the fastest time in the event all year.

Jefferson-Wooden previously set the World Championship record in the 100 meters with her time of 10.61 seconds in the final. She broke the mark of 10.65 seconds that Sha'Carri Richardson set in 2023.

Friday saw Jefferson-Wooden finish nearly one-half second ahead of silver medalist Amy Hunt (22.14 seconds). It's the largest margin of victory in the women's 200 meters at the World Championships since Allyson Felix in 2007 (.53 seconds).

In addition to being the first American women to win the sprint double at the World Championships, she is the fourth woman overall to accomplish the feat. She joins a group that includes Jamaica's Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce (2015), Germany's Katrin Krabbe (1991) and Germany's Silke Gladisch (1987).

Shericka Jackson from Jamaica, who won gold in this event at the 2022 and 2023 World Championships, finished third on Friday.

Competing in her third World Championships, Jefferson-Wooden is now a four-time gold medalist. She was part of the U.S. 4x100-meter team that took the top spot in 2022 and 2023.

Jefferson-Wooden also won two medals at the 2024 Olympics, including gold in the 4x100 meters and bronze in the 100 meters.