Junelle Bromfield’s childhood in Jamaica was anything but typical. She never went to bed hungry, not because of the economic situation in her country or home, but thanks to her mom, Sandra Farquharson, who spun a magical bubble around her kids. Sandra was the rock of the family, shielding them from the harsh financial realities. But as Junelle grew up, she began to see the cracks in that bubble.

Over time, the realities of her family’s financial struggles and Jamaica’s challenges became clear to her. Inspired by the country’s Olympic feats, she felt the itch to dive into athletics, but with limited financial support and scant government assistance, it felt like chasing a pipe dream. In one candid moment, she reflected on her upbringing, saying, “When I grew up, I didn’t see a profession bigger than a teacher at the point when I was in there [in Jamaica].” This limited perspective drove her to seek a career that would check all her boxes. Thankfully, her passion for track and field opened doors she never thought possible. But challenges lurked around every corner.

On October 31, Junelle took to Instagram to recount her journey in track and field. She discovered a three-year-old video of herself from a time when things were anything but easy. In the clip, she revealed, “I was struggling. My mom just got cancer. I wasn’t making any senior teams. And life was just sad, honestly. And it was COVID. It was very, very sad.” To make matters worse, she was grappling with the loss of her brother a year before her mom took ill. The lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics? A total nightmare.

Now, fast forward to October 2024, three years later. The 26-year-old athlete is riding a wave of positive change in her life. In her heartfelt video, she laid it all out, saying, “I got an Olympic bronze medal. I got a world championship medal. I’m engaged. I’m about to move into a neighborhood that I never dreamed that I would ever be able to move into.” Her professional journey has propelled her into a new reality, one where she can embrace dreams that once seemed out of reach. What was once her least favorite month, October has transformed into “harvest season” for her. So, how did she turn things around?

Again, the same reason has acted to invite such reforms—her thorough fight to become a renowned athlete. In 2021, after her mother’s death, Junelle had her Olympic stint in the women’s 4x400m event in Tokyo. She tasted her success in the bustling Japanese city by claiming the bronze medal. Next year, in the Eugene World Championships, she changed the color of the medal and bagged the silver in the same event.

Not only that, in 2022, Bromfield reached further heights and claimed the gold in the women’s 4x400m relay event in the World Athletics Indoor Championship. So, she took just a few months to change her story. And now, Junelle Bromfield is a two-time Olympian and engaged to her boyfriend, Noah Lyles. A wholesome change from her hard-earned childhood days! Has she brought that change alone to her life? No, certainly not. 

Junelle Bromfield has individuals from her inner circle to help her out 

Junelle Bromfield had to face fire from not only the situations but also from her Jamaican fans. Before the Paris Olympics, the wanted turns of events made her a ‘traitor’ to her countrymen. That rage led to her continuing to live in the USA. From her Jamaican fans, she didn’t receive any praise for her Olympic performances. That turmoil bludgeoned her and made her think about shifting her base away from her home country. In the meantime, her boyfriend Noah Lyles appeared in the scene as her soul saver. 

In 2021, Noah stood beside Junelle as her friend in the face of adversity. But now he played the role of dutiful boyfriend to evade the situation. According to Bromfield, Lyles suggested she should take therapy to defeat her mental demons. Soon, the Jamaican athlete felt the change after taking up therapies. Furthermore, he and her mother, Keisha Caine Bishop, continued to let her feel like a family member. That positivity was reflected in Junelle, making her emotionally strong. Now, she has moved to her new abode. Isn’t that the epitome of winning in life? What do you think?