Julien Alfred knew the 100m final in Paris was hers to lose. When the starting gun went off, few considered Alfred a top contender, as the focus was on the expected showdown between Sha’Carri Richardson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce. However, when Fraser-Pryce did not compete, fans were almost certain Richardson would take the gold. But Alfred had other plans. She stormed the track, clocking a stunning 10.72 seconds to claim the gold, becoming the first athlete from St. Lucia to achieve such a feat.

Beating the likes of Richardson and Melissa Jefferson, Alfred immediately became a phenom. Not only did she win the 100m gold, but also won a silver in the women’s 200m category. Following her incredible achievement, Julien Alfred has been busy attending various events and interviews. Likewise, the Olympic champion recently appeared on SportsMax TV. Discussing her Paris success, Alfred doubled down on how she felt going into the race. Surprisingly, Alfred already knew that she would win. 

Alfred mentioned that she gained a lot of confidence after the semifinal performance. Running a blitzkrieg of 10.84s, Alfred set the fastest time in Paris, beating Richardson’s timing of 10.89s. Having a measure of Richardson made her feel confident that she could well beat the World Champion. Reminiscing the moment, a beaming Julien Alfred stated, “I knew I had it in the bag as long as I just go out there execute and do what my coaching I have been working on for such a long time and do the same thing like in the final I knew I had it in the bag.” Alfred always had the dream of becoming the next Usain Bolt. Thus, when she continued to have good runs building up to the final, Alfred knew she just had to focus. 

The Olympic gold medalist, Julien Alfred, revealed that she was momentarily confused after noticing Fraser-Pryce’s absence. Despite her strong performance in the semifinals, her coach reminded her to stay focused for the final challenge. Alfred didn’t relax, ultimately breaking her semifinal time and claiming all the glory as the world stood up to applaud her achievement. Upon returning home after her Paris triumph, she received a hero’s welcome. Interestingly, the women’s 100m champion had nearly quit track and field at the age of 12.

Julien Alfred opens up on track and field hardships 

When Julien Alfred returned back to St. Lucia, people swarmed in at the airport to welcome their champion. Infact, she was greeted by the Prime Minister, Philip J Pierre himself. Surely, this was a moment to remember for Alfred, who came a long way to become an Olympic hero. However, what she also remembers are the long days of turmoil that she faces en route to her track and field glory. Being inclined towards running since childhood, Alfred did not have access to the latest training facilities. She ran against the boys barefoot, not being able to afford proper running shoes. 

To top the list, her father passed away when Julien Alfred was just a 12-year-old kid. Devastated by the loss, Alfred decided to quit running. But her coach stepped in and motivated her to go on. This worked wonders as Alfred kept gaining her momentum in track and field until her first major break came at the age of 16. Alfred received a scholarship at the University of Texas in 2017 and began her journey with the Longhorns. And Alfred did not look back. She continued to impress and now she is an Olympic champion. 

Looking back at her journey, Alfred feels very much nostalgic and is also thankful towards the ones that supported her throughout. Alfred said, “It was truly a rocky road. Many days I wanted to just give up, throw in the towel, and just say, ‘I’m done’. But my village, those persons who were around me, I just want to say thank you for just everything you have done for me. I really appreciate it.” Thus, having reached the pinnacle of women’s track and field currently, the world awaits to witness more of Julien Alfred specials in future.