“The next Usain Bolt” – That’s who Julien Alfred wanted to be when she grew up. The humble island nation of Saint Lucia, which first participated in the Olympic Games in 1996, secured its first-ever Olympic medal on August 3. Even pouring rain couldn’t stop the 23-year-old at the Stade de France from being the first to cross the finish line in 100m amidst a deafening roar, sealing her fate as the all-time eighth-fastest woman in the category!

Julien Alfred was only 12 when she lost her father. In her post-race interview, Alfred recalled, “He’d always be so boastful of his daughter being a future Olympian.” The heartbreak that ensued at such a young age saw the sprinter stepping away from running, according to a report by Yahoo Sports. It took her two full years to re-align with the sport that she loves.

The sprinter used to run around the fields barefoot still in her school uniform. Odds were stacked against her as her stadium back home didn’t even have the right facilities to nurture talents, eventually forcing the Saint Lucian to shift bases to Jamaica in 2015. She then enrolled at St. Catherine High School “to see how far I could go with the sport.” It’s safe to say her gamble worked!

On the Olympic final day, Alfred spent the morning binging videos of Bolt’s iconic victories. And she made a promise. “Julien Alfred, Olympic champion,” she wrote in her journal. Little did she know that hours later, that would become a reality. And how! She defeated pre-race favorite Sha’Carri Richardson (10.87s) with a margin of 0.15s which is the largest since 2008. Alfred had tears streaking down her face, knowing she had achieved what she had always wanted. And her country did not step back in marking the occasion.

An X post showcased St. Lucians celebrating the win at a watch party in Castries. Notably, the government of the country which has barely a population of 200,000 had arranged four such watch parties to give Alfred’s countrymen a glimpse of the glory moment. Saint Lucia’s Prime Minister Phillip J. Pierre could not contain his excitement as he spoke with Jamaican radio station Nationwide90FM.

“I am happy, I am happy, I am happy; that’s all I can say,” that’s all the minister could spell out. The PM’s office congratulated Alfred on social media, branding August 3 as the “Juju Day.” Indeed, that is not an overstatement.

This victory has put St. Lucia on the world athletic map from a largely unknown Caribbean land. For all these years, when Alfred met new people, many would ask where she was from and her unfamiliar accent certainly didn’t help. And it wasn’t until 2022 that her sprint doubles at the NCAA events started getting noticed.

Julien Alfred landed a deal with Puma, thanks to the University of Texas

Alfred secured a scholarship to the University of Texas in 2018. Four years later, she won her first NCAA title in 100m (10.90 seconds). In the following year, she swept the double at the NCAA. Riding on this success, she signed with Puma once she turned pro. Representing St. Lucia at the 2023 World Championships with a fantastic college career, Julien was locked in to win there too. But she had to wait a little longer for the world to take notice yet.

She managed to finish only in 4th place in 200 meters (22.05s) and 5th place in 100 meters (10.93s). Her confidence was shaken. But that is where her Longhorns’ coach Eldrick Floreal stepped up. “He has been my rock. He has been there through the ups and downs, through the hard times. I’m happy he never gave up on me. He’s like a dad and a mentor to me,” Alfred said of Floreal.

At the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, she sealed the women’s 60-meter victory with a time of 6.98 seconds. She carried the momentum in the outdoor season that saw her clocking 10.78 seconds at the Racers Grand Prix 100m on June 1. Going into Paris Olympics, she had one dream that she harbored since her barefoot running days.

“Growing up, I’ve always said I wanted to be one of Saint Lucia’s first Olympic medallists. First gold medallists at the Olympic Games,” Alfred said. After she finds that turning into reality, she now has a wish for her country. “I hope this gold medal will help Saint Lucia build a new stadium, to help the sport grow,” Alfred said after the win.