ECNETNews, NEW YORK, NY, Sat. Aug. 3, 2024: Caribbean sprinter Julien Alfred has made history after securing the gold medal in the women’s 100-meter final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, hosted at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, defeating American star Sha’Carri Richardson.
Alfred crossed the finish line with an impressive time of 10.72 seconds, while Richardson followed closely behind at 10.87 seconds. American Melissa Jefferson earned the bronze with a time of 10.92 seconds. This victory marks a significant milestone for Saint Lucia, as it represents the nation’s first Olympic medal ever. At just 23 years old, Alfred not only captured gold but also set a new national record of 10.72 seconds, showcasing her extraordinary talent under the guidance of renowned coach Edrick Floreal.
Prior to her Olympic triumph, Alfred clinched the gold medal in the 60 meters at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships. She was also a silver medalist in the 100 meters during the 2022 Commonwealth Games and is recognized as the joint North American indoor record holder for the 60 meters. Alfred made history by becoming the first woman in NCAA to break the seven-second barrier in the 60 meters and is celebrated as a three-time individual NCAA Division I champion.
Hailing from Ciceron, a community in south Castries, Alfred attended Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School in Saint Lucia before moving to Jamaica at age 14 to further her education at St. Catherine High School. She later pursued a degree in Youth & Community Studies at the University of Texas, expertly balancing her academic and athletic pursuits.
Alfred’s rise to prominence began in 2015 when she was crowned the Central American and Caribbean U15 champion. She received accolades as Saint Lucia’s Junior Sportswoman of the Year in both 2015 and 2017. As an emerging talent, she claimed the 100m title at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games in Nassau, Bahamas, and secured a silver medal at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2018.
In a surprising turn of events, three-time Olympic gold medalist Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce of Jamaica withdrew from the competition before the semifinals, following an impressive performance in the preliminaries.
