Being an Olympic champ means having tremendous self-confidence. Or so you’d imagine. But that’s not always the case, and Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred can vouch for it. Taking down the USA’s poster woman and the current 100m world lead Sha’Carri Richardson at the 2024 Paris Olympics to win the coveted 100m gold, Alfred proved to the world that she is a force to be reckoned with. And yet, ahead of the big rumble, the 23-year-old’s skepticism nearly got the better of her.

Getting cold feet before a big occasion isn’t unheard of. But when that happens to an athlete before the biggest sporting event of the year, it can be incredibly difficult to come out of. However, luckily, while Julien Alfred struggled to find her mojo, she wasn’t left alone by her coach to make sure that her Parisian campaign didn’t go astray.

Julien Alfred’s had a strong shoulder to lean on before the Games

The reigning 100m Olympic champion recently sat down with BBC Woman’s Hour to talk about her ordeal before the 33rd Olympic Games and what helped her get back on track. “Olympic 100m gold medallist – and fastest woman in the world – Julien Alfred joined @claremcdonnell1 in the Woman’s Hour studio today,” reads the caption of the X post by the official Woman’s Hour from November 4, as the accompanying video snippet shares moments from their conversation.

“Earlier on that season, I had a breakdown. I was completely out of it,” confessed the current Fastest Woman In The World. Alfred went on to describe how she communicated her troubles to her coach, Edrick Floreal: “I told my coach I didn’t want to continue the season, I told my agents to cancel my meets, because I just didn’t want to continue, I was just so hard on myself,” she said. Her overweight issue also amplified her inner turmoil and Julien noted, “I couldn’t go on.”

Thankfully, Floreal seemed to think that his star student needed guidance like never before. “But my coach, he worked with me, he took me off the track for a little bit,” said Alfred during the interview to highlight how a meaningful conversation was in order after her early-season dilemma. “We both cried on the phone,” mumbled the Olympian as she revealed the final advice Floreal had for her. “Are you ready to be an Olympic champion?” Julien’s coach asked her, and she once again felt that burning desire within! However, she wasn’t the only sprinter who felt squeamish inside their guts before heading to the Olympics.

When expectations take a toll on track and field stars

After a shambling performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics, New Jersey native Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone found it difficult to believe that the Paris Games would be any different. The COVID-19 pandemic also caused havoc in her training, which only added to the troubles. Once again, the track star’s coach, Bob Kersee, stepped up to help her navigate through the muck.

In her book Far Beyond Gold: Running from Fear to Faith, McLaughlin-Levrone talked about how Kersee left no stone unturned to make sure she had her training no matter what. “When looking for a track became too much of a hassle, Bobby took me out to the median…in the middle of San Vicente Boulevard, one of the busiest streets in Los Angeles,” wrote the four-time Olympic gold medalist, noting how “absurd” everything got at times.

Lucky for Sydney, things panned out exactly how she’d wanted them to. Winning two gold medals in Tokyo and defending both at the City of Love earlier this year, the former Kentucky Wildcats athlete has proven why she’s one of the best at what she does. It seems it’s not been very different for Julien Alfred either.

Crossing the finishing line ahead of Sha’Carri Richardson was something not many were prepared for, and they made sure to let Alfred know what an incredible feat she pulled off on the grandest stage. Saint Lucia announced September 27 as Julien Alfred Day, and festivities were aplenty on the small Caribbean island for the official occasion. Naturally, Alfred was overwhelmed by the gesture. “To All, both here and abroad, thank you celebrating me. I will forever be grateful,” she wrote on Instagram, underscoring her heaving emotions. So, what part of her journey is your favorite? Tell us with a comment!