47.60 seconds. That’s the world record in the women’s 400m, set by Marita Koch in 1985. For distance runners, maybe that’s in the realm of possibility—but for a short sprinter like Julien Alfred? That’s like asking a cheetah to run a marathon. Still, when her coach threw her into 300s and 400s this season, the Olympic champion went with it. And she didn’t just survive—she torched a 49.8-second split in the 4x400m at the Texas Relays. And just days later, she took down Shericka Jackson in the 300m at Miramar, clocking 36.05.  Absolute madness. But wait…

Right after that anchor leg, the St. Lucian didn’t hesitate: “I am done with the 400s.” She proved her point, then made it crystal clear—she’s out. “Well, this is my last 4×4,” she added with a laugh. And honestly? Fair enough. That stretch wasn’t her idea—it was her coach’s. He wanted strength, range, and mental grit. She trusted him, even if it meant running events she’d never call “fun.” But now? Now it’s time for Julien to return to familiar turd. The 200m. Yes.

Well, well, well… the 100m gold medalist from the Paris Olympics is about to feature in her favorite event: the 200m. She’s making her season debut in the short sprint. And if you’re thinking back to her epic 200m race in Paris, yep—that one—she grabbed the silver with a 22.08 finish, just behind Gabby Thomas, who flew to gold in 21.83. And don’t forget, Julien’s got a 21.86 personal best, which she set in London last year… so she’s not far off. So now the big questions are: Who’s she lining up against? When’s it going down? And where’s the showdown?

Julien Alfred will be taking part in the Tom Jones Memorial on April 18. And the competition is fierce. She’ll be facing a star-studded field, including Favour Ofili, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist and NCAA champion; Rhasidat Adeleke, the 2024 European Indoor 200m champion and Irish national record holder in the 200m; Tamari Davis, a rising star with standout performances in both the 100m and 200m; Daryll Neita, the 2024 European Indoor 60m champion and strong 200m contender; Nickisha Pryce, the 2024 NCAA 400m champion and national 400m record holder for Jamaica.

Wait, there’s more! Alana Reid, the 2023 World U20 200m champion and emerging sprinting talent; Niesha Burgher (Jamaica), a consistent 200m performer; Stacey Ann Williams, an experienced international sprinter; Thelma Davies, the 2024 African Games 200m champion; Maia McCoy, an up-and-coming 200m talent; Amy Hunt, the 2023 European U23 100m champion; and Anna Hall, the 2024 World Indoor Pentathlon champion.

And if you’re wondering who’s talking about it, Athlos, founded by Alexis Ohanian, chimed in on X when Track and Field Gazette shared the news, saying, “Real excited to see Julien’s 200m opener, especially after all the 400’s and 300’s she’s run so far this season!” But what makes this even juicier is that this happened right before all this hype after Julien Alfred took down Shericka Jackson in the 300m at the Miramar Invitational. There, Alfred stormed across the line in a stunning 36.05 seconds, edging out two-time world 200m champ Shericka Jackson, who finished in 36.13 seconds.

Now, here’s the big question—why didn’t Julien Alfred focus on her favorite event sooner? Was it really just her coach’s call, or was there more behind the decision?

Julien Alfred and others are taking it to the next level in preparation for the World Championships

Julien Alfred’s decision to open her 2025 season with the 300m and 400m events was influenced by her coach, Edrick Floreal. Floreal, who’s been working with her since 2019, wanted to help her build up strength and endurance by mixing things up with the longer sprints. Julien’s been pretty open about it, saying, “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.” She’s taking a step back from her usual 60m and 100m events to focus on developing the kind of power and endurance that’ll make her even more of a beast on the track. And it’s definitely paying off.

Alfred set a new national record in the 300m with a blazing 36.16 seconds at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston back in February. Then, just a couple of weeks later, she smashed the 400m with a time of 52.97 seconds at the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, which also set a St. Lucian indoor record. Safe to say, her coach’s plan is working out pretty well! But seems that other athletes are also following this strategy.

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the reigning Olympic 200m champion, has also dipped his toes into the 400m. At the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, he ran a season-best 45.26 seconds. Now the reigning Olympic men’s 100m Champion, Noah Lyles, is also ready to make a shift into the 400m at the Tom Jones Memorial Invitational in Gainesville this Saturday.

It’s his first open 400m race since 2016, and while his personal best stands at 47.04, he did split 45.68 during Team USA’s 4x400m relay at the 2024 World Indoor Championships. Now, it’s like the athletes are throwing their hats in the ring, each one trying to outdo the other and make sure they’re in tip-top shape for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in September.