“I’ve always wanted to be Usain Bolt, ever since I was little,” Julien Alfred once said. It is quite interesting to look back at, considering she is now chasing greatness. She has steadily carved her place in history with an unexpected NCAA move and she has also achieved something that no American woman has! What is it?

Remember her stint at the 2024 Paris Olympics? She secured the 100m gold medal while Sha’Carri Richardson remained behind her. She also ran a strong 200m finish as she ended behind Gabby Thomas for second position in silver. Then, Alfred readied herself for changes the moment 2025 arrived. And the opposition thought they knew her game plan? Not even close. Julien Alfred is rewriting the record books. One race at a time! On Friday, she stepped beyond her usual sprinting range at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, South Carolina.

The victorious moment was perfectly summarized through a tweet posted on X by ‘Track & Field Gazette’. “Julien Alfred breaks the St. Lucian 400m Indoor Record in Clemson, clocking a time of 52.97s at the Tiger Paw Invitational. She now holds National Records in the 60m, 100m, 200m, 300m & 400m(i).” A 100m Olympic gold medalist running—and excelling—in the 400m? It’s the sheer adaptability that makes her performance stand out from the rest.

Interestingly, no American woman holds all the national records across multiple sprint distances as Alfred does. But let us not forget that she has rivals like Gabby Thomas and Shericka Jackson. The question is whether this improved range will give the sprinter a competitive advantage.

Months ago, Ato Boldon, NBC Sports broadcaster and former track star, revealed that Edrick Floreal intends for Alfred to compete in a few more 400-meter races in the 2025 season. This is so that she can prepare for the World Championships in September.

However, Julien Alfred isn’t just keeping up with Gabby Thomas and Shericka Jackson; She is making them rethink the race. About a year ago, Justin Gatlin called her a “true dual threat,” and 2025 is proving him right. The versatility displayed by Alfred is changing the established supremacy held by Thomas and Jackson in the 200-meter race.

Thomas had achieved her 200-meter personal best record at 21.61 seconds during the Olympic trials.

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I believe that Julian Alfred has what it takes to take down Gabby and Jackson. She has defeated Jackson before,...more

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Although Jackson holds the all-time leading time at 21.41 seconds, that dates back to 2023. But here’s the catch: despite her current time of 21.86, Alfred is showing continuous improvement. With her participation in the 300m and 400m events, she’s building the endurance she needs to bridge her gap with track and field stars like Gabby Thomas and Shericka Jackson.

Her recent outstanding showings indicate that she no longer poses a threat to others but has actualized into the main challenge.

Alfred isn’t chasing Gabby Thomas & Shericka Jackson—she’s making them chase her!

At the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston in February, Julien Alfred abandoned her focal 60m track to race the 300m competition for the very first time. The unusual decision served two functions since her coach, Edrick Floreal, used it both as a trial and as part of a broader strategic plan. “You know, he has a plan. I’m just following his plan. Even though it hurts a lot, I trust him and what he has for me,” Alfred admitted after the race.

Floreal believes that this shift will boost her confidence in the 200m—an event she has struggled with mentally despite her Olympic silver. As per her own admission, fatigue, and overthinking were responsible for her losing out on the 200m Olympic gold in Paris.

“I was really tired. Even after the 100, I was so exhausted that I went to bed late and only got about two hours of rest. I drank some coffee, barely warmed up, and my coach was like, ‘Let’s just qualify for the next round and keep moving,'” she had revealed.

However, Julien Alfred isn’t the only sprinter who is pushing her limits this season. Say hello to Dina Asher-Smith, Alfred’s training partner. The UK native is known for her speed in the 100m and 200m, and at the Tiger Paw Invitational, by running the 400m, she set a personal best of 52.31 seconds to win her section.

Is versatility the brand new thing in track and field? Well, with the likes of Alfred and Asher-Smith branching out to build strength and endurance, it’s definitely looking like it. Will other track and field stars follow suit? That is for us to wait and see!