Julien Alfred’s 2025 season has been nothing short of iconic. She shattered national records like glass ceilings and claimed Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic gold in the 100m with a blistering 10.78. Not stopping there, she stormed to a silver in the 200m, rewrote history in the 300m and 400m indoors, and even stunned with a stellar performance in Miramar. The résumé? Untouchable. The momentum? Relentless. Yet somehow she didn’t take home the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year Award.

Yes, you read that right. Despite a season where she did everything but walk on water, the Laureus trophy slipped through her fingers. Fans everywhere were stunned. How could the woman who rewrote history and dominated the track from Paris to Miramar be passed over? If Julien Alfred’s season wasn’t worthy of a breakthrough, then who was this 17-year-old generational soccer talent who won?

Laureus Sport took to X, “🏆 Lamine Yamal is the Laureus World Breakthrough of the Year.” A stunning moment, sure! But also one that left track fans scratching their heads. Yes, Lamine Yamal is a prodigy. Only 17 and already weaving magic for Barcelona and Spain with 6 goals, 12 assists in La Liga, and Champions League brilliance. His rise has been swift and shiny. But while the football world celebrates, many fans can’t help but question whether the committee overlooked Julien Alfred’s history-making sprint season, choosing glitz over grit.

While Yamal danced with a ball, Julien Alfred was rewriting national records with spikes on her feet. Her 2025 debut at the Miramar Invitational wasn’t just a season opener. It was a statement. Lining up against the formidable Shericka Jackson, who held a 21.41 in the 200m and was widely expected to dominate the 300m, Alfred had something else in mind. Jackson took an early lead, but Julien?

She chased her down. Step for step, surge for surge, until the final 10 meters when Alfred powered past to claim the race in 36.05, a brand-new national record for Saint Lucia. It wasn’t a fluke. It was a pattern. A season of stunning comebacks and fearless matchups. Julien Alfred didn’t just beat champions. She became one.

From 100m Olympic gold to 4x400m heroics, she proved she could sprint, stretch, and steal the spotlight on any stage. So yes, while Yamal’s footwork lit up football, Julien’s lightning-fast strides lit a fire under the very foundation of women’s sprinting. In the eyes of track fans? She was the real breakthrough.

Back in the groove, Julien Alfred returns to dominate again

Julien Alfred is finally back where she belongs, and fans couldn’t be more pumped. After months of grinding it out in the 300m and 400m, she’s stepping back into the 200m, her real playground. It’s been a season of shake-ups so far, with her coach, Edrick Floreal, pushing her into longer sprints to build that strength and stamina. The training wasn’t just about surviving the stretch.

It was about unleashing a more powerful, explosive version of Julien when she returned to her sweet spot. That moment is finally here. After testing herself in new waters, she’s diving back into the race that first made her a household name. The switch back to the 200m has fans buzzing, not just for the nostalgia but because they know the version of Julien Alfred we’re getting now is stronger, faster, and more fearless than ever.

The move signals a homecoming. And a warning shot to the competition. The queen of the curve is back. Even Athlos, the sports platform started by Alexis Ohanian, couldn’t help but chime in when Track and Field Gazette dropped the news on X. They posted, “Real excited to see Julien’s 200m opener, especially after all the 400s and 300s she’s run so far this season!”

That pretty much sums up the mood right now. After months of grinding through events that felt a bit out of her comfort zone, Julien’s finally back in her element, and the countdown to fireworks has officially begun.