Julien Alfred has established herself as one of the most prevalent names in the field of track and field. The Saint Lucian speedster has etched her name in history as the first Olympic champion from the island nation. With so much fanfare and so much success, one might assume that for Julien, all of this is pretty. But that is hardly the case. Behind all these laurels was a hidden battle that battered her every day. But then how did the St. Lucian manage to keep herself calm? Let’s start from the beginning.

Julien Alfred has been truly exceptional in her athletic career. And she cemented her legacy by being Saint Lucia’s inaugural gold medalist by way of her blistering performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics. In the finals of the 100m event, she gave a trailblazing run, which led her to the gold with a time of 10.72 seconds. She followed this with a win at the 2024 World Indoor Championship in the 60m. These accolades have established her as one of the fastest women. But it’s not just the international stage where she created records.

As part of the University of Texas, Alfred won NCAA titles in both the 100m and 4x100m relay in 2022. And if that wasn’t enough, she followed it with more Division I titles in 2023 in the 200m and 60m, respectively. Recently, she also broke international ground once more by winning her first Diamond League Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels, clocking a time of 10.88 seconds. With all these titles, she might appear invincible to others, but to her mind, she was in great adversity. How can one deal with great expectations?

In a press conference with FloTrack, she opened up about how she managed to find her way back. “I lean on my support system—my coach, my agent, and those around me,” she said. “Going to therapy helped me, and just realizing why I’m doing the sport, why I’m running.” This goes on to prove the immense emotional and mental weight of being a champion. But she had one solace. The strength of her team.

Moreover, Julien added that the pressure she placed on herself to represent her country often weighed her down. “I had to realize that I’m doing it for myself. I’m the one stepping on the track every day, putting in the work to accomplish everything I want to.” She emerged from darkness as those who supported her and her new intentions assisted her.

After facing mental struggles following her performance at the World Indoor Championships, Julien Alfred is taking a strategic step away from the 60m event this season. Since winning her World Indoor title, she has been selected to maintain her long-term goals and personal health stability. Her decision represents both her ability to handle diverse types of events and her commitment to her artwork. But the weight of the Olympic success is not the only thing weighing her down. The distance from her family is also a major struggle in her life.

Julien Alfred’s emotional journey of pushing through the distance

Julien Alfred plans her approach to the 2025 World Championships by choosing meditation in managing her athletic career. But the absence of her family in her life is something she is pretty acquainted with at this point. The sprinter left her family at the age of 14 to pursue her athletic dreams. And while she has achieved her goals, this experience also weighs heavily on her heart.

However, being the champion that she is, she has somehow converted this absence into a motivation in itself. “First of all, just not being with any family. That was something I had to adapt to. I don’t think I fully adapted to being away from my family for the three years that I spent there,” she revealed. But she also has decided to concentrate on activities that would enable her to give maximum effort while remaining fresh mentally.

“I have to focus on what feels right for me and where I can give my best without feeling drained,” she shared. Alfred’s relentless drive to succeed in track and field kept her grounded. And while the pressure is incredibly high, she looks like she has it in her pocket. And while there’s still some time in her races for the Diamond League qualification in Oslo and Stockholm, she looks focused.

Will both the emotional strength and this strategy that Julien is following help her progress even while facing setbacks? What are your thoughts on this?