News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Sat. Aug. 3, 2024: Call her Olympic gold medalist. Caribbean sprinter Julien Alfred bested the much touted American runner,Sha’Carri Richardson moments ago today in the women’s 100-m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis.
Alfred won in a time of 10.72 to Richardson’s 10.87. American Melissa Jefferson took bronze (10.92). For her home country of Saint Lucia, it’s the first Olympic medal of any kind. Alfred, 23, also set a new national record of 10.72 s. She is coached by Edrick Floreal. He is the man behind the rich athletic careers of athletes like Rhasidat Adeleke and Leo Neugebauer.
Alfred previously won the gold medal in the 60 metres at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. She was also a silver medalist in the 100 metres at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Moreover, she is the joint North American indoor record holder for the 60 metres. She was the first woman in NCAA to break the seven-second barrier over the 60 m. Alfred is a three-time individual NCAA Division I champion.
Born in the south Castries community of Ciceron, Julien Alfred attended Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School in Saint Lucia from 2013 to 2015. Following this, she moved to Jamaica at age 14 where she attended the St. Catherine High School from 2015 to 2018. After that, Julien pursued a bachelor’s degree in Youth & Community Studies at the University of Texas in the United States. She effectively balanced her academic and athletic commitments.
Alfred emerged as a Central American and Caribbean U15 champion in 2015. She was also recognized as Saint Lucia’s Junior Sportswoman of the Year in both 2015 and 2017. Additionally, as a junior athlete, Alfred won the 100m title at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau, Bahamas. In 2018, she secured a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, finishing behind Nigeria’s Rosemary Chukwuma.
Julien Alfred parents
Julien Alfred’s dad, Julian Hamilton, died when she was 12 years old. He always wanted to see her daughter compete at the Olympics. Her mother, Joanna Alfred, raised her a a single mother.
“My late husband and I used to leave her and the other kids at home, and the neighbours used to tell us that they would see Julien running really fast past their houses. But there was nothing like an academy or something like that in the neighbourhood. Moreover, we didn’t have the money either. We wanted her to study so that she can live a dignified life,” Joanna Alfred said on MBC TV.
She wasn’t able to buy her daughter high-quality running shoes, but Julien made to do with those for her seniors, or when there was none, she would run barefoot. In addition to providing emotional support, Alfred made decisions to guarantee Julien had the best chances.
“I am blessed and I am humble and I am thankful that… in spite of a few fallbacks that she had, she decided to continue,” Alfred said.
On Julien’s graduation day, she thanked her mother through her Facebook handle for being by her side. She captioned it: “Blessed to be where I am. And doubly blessed to have my mom at my side. Thanks for everything, UT!”
Recently, she also dedicated her victory to his dad, Julian. “I’m thinking of God, and of my dad, who didn’t get to see me,” she said. “Dad, this is for you. I miss you. I did it for him, I did it for my coach, and God,” she said.
Three-time Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica had stunningly dropped out before Saturday’s semifinals – just one day after running the second-fastest time in the prelims.
Read about other Caribbean Athletes that Shine At Paris 2024 Olympics (newsamericasnow.com), along with Julian Alfred.
