Is an introduction to Julien Alfred really necessary anymore? Her name has been making headlines all around the world since August 2024, and with good cause. In addition to winning gold at the Olympics in Paris, she astonished everyone by defeating sprinting legends like Sha’Carri Richardson and Jamaica’s best to become the fastest woman alive. Julien comes from Saint Lucia, a tiny Caribbean country with a population of only 180,000. His ascent to 100-metre sprint royalty is quite remarkable.
She left her homeland at a young age to train and compete, and when she returned as a national hero with Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal, it seemed like a dream come true.
Her victory demonstrates the limitless potential of undeveloped talent and willpower. The United States, with its 335 million citizens, has the most 100-metre champions, but Jamaica, a country of only 2.8 million, has held the women’s 100-metre gold since 2008. Now Saint Lucia, with an even smaller population than Jamaica, has claimed the women’s 100-metre Olympic gold, thanks to Alfred.
As Alfred prepares to defend her Diamond Trophy and dominate the season finale in Zurich this August, the early races are more about gaining momentum and accumulating points than they are about winning.
She made waves in the Diamond League last year, winning the 100-metre series title in Brussels and winning her maiden meeting victory in Monaco. Her goals are much greater this year, and she is determined to win at the World Championships in Tokyo in September.
The unseen hardships that led to Julien Alfred’s success
Julien Alfred bravely decided to leave her family and home in Saint Lucia at the age of 14, setting off on a voyage that would change her life. Consider how resilient an adolescent must be to leave behind everything they know and embrace a whole new world full of opportunities and challenges they have never encountered before.
The distinct setting and culture of Jamaican track and field and sprinting propelled Julien to new heights and helped to mould her into the ferocious competitor she is today. Her path was further shaped by personal sorrow.
Julien’s father passed very tragically when she was just 12 years old. She took a hiatus from running for a while as she dealt with the loss, but her fortitude eventually motivated her to go back to the track.