Records are meant to be broken, and history is destined to be written by victors. At the Paris Olympics, there were many fascinating sporting moments, and one of them was Julien Alfred’s 100m gold medal. The Saint Lucian runner was able to defeat fan-favorite Sha’Carri Richardson with a dominant run, crossing the finish line with a time of 10.72 seconds, which was 0.15 seconds faster than the American sprinter. 

“Absolute cinema” as the phrase goes by, can be related to this sprint that these women delivered on that day. While it was all sunshine and rainbows for Saint Lucia and the country’s sprinter, this win reminded Alfred of all the tough moments that she had been through, during her stellar track and field career.

Realizing that she has made it to the top

The Olympic gold medal is an accolade that is on the bucket list of many athletes from different sports. This is due to the reputation of the coveted event, as a single medal can completely change the way these athletes live their day-to-day lives. Just like any other sprinter in track and field, Julien Alfred also wanted to win a gold medal for her country, Saint Lucia, which never had an Olympian win a medal at the pinnacle of the sport.

Ahead of the Paris Olympics, almost everyone thought that Team USA’s Sha’Carri Richardson would be unmatched by anybody else on the grid. The predictions were also valid as the reigning 100m world champion had proved herself in many major events.

Richardson and Alfred crossed paths at the Stade de France during the 100m finals, and while many cheered for the American sprinter, Alfred’s pace was just on another level. Even if Richardson tried her best to catch up, the Saint Lucian runner had other plans, as she just never slowed down after the start.

On Netflix’s Sprint season 2 episode 3, Alfred reflected on this victory, stating, “All I’m thinking about right now is just that I have finally made it. All my hard work and all my sacrifices paid off. It’s almost like a relief just seeing how far I’ve come. A little girl from Saint Lucia is finally here.”

That Olympic gold medal was the ultimate prize for Alfred. And why so? The Saint Lucian had been trying to prove herself against many top athletes for a long time. While she performed at her best in many events, her goal was still to stand on the top of the podium at the Olympics, which she eventually did at the Stade de France.

Alfred’s victory was surely a big upset for the American fans who wanted to see Richardson grab that individual gold medal. However, the 23-year-old continued her track and field season even after her Olympic victory and was also crowned as the Diamond League Final winner of the 2024 season. Juju returned to Saint Lucia after achieving all of these accolades, and her homecoming was a sight to behold. 

Julien Alfred receives gifts from her nation

The whole of Saint Lucia was awaiting Afred’s homecoming. For winning the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal, the sprinter was awarded a 10,727-square-meter plot in the northern part of the country. Furthermore, the government gifted her a cash prize of $1 million for her epic performance at the Stade de France.

Many corporate sponsors donated a lot of money to the sprinter as well. And most importantly, the whole nation was given a national holiday in her name, Julien Alfred Day, on September 27, 2024. Recently, Saint Lucia’s Millennium Highway was renamed after her following her Olympic achievement. All of these awards were a tribute to her dedication and surely she did deserve it.