In 2024, when Julien Alfred won the women’s 60m at the historic Millrose Games, Talya Lorde finished fifth in the Under-8 Fastest Kid in the World 55-metre race, despite being one of the youngest competitors in her division.
Born to Saint Lucian parents in New York, Lorde seized the chance to take a photo with Alfred, whose path to Olympic glory she hopes to follow one day.
Talya speaks proudly about the possibility of representing Saint Lucia in the future. Earlier this year, during her latest visit to the island, she trained briefly with a local club, leaving observers excited about her potential.
Her mother, Rosalva, shared with St Lucia Times what wearing a Saint Lucian uniform would mean to their family: “We are proud Lucians,” she said. “Saint Lucia is home for us, and that’s why it was important that we made sure that our kids were Lucians too.”
A member of the Jeuness Track Club, Lorde primarily runs the 400m but also competes in the 200m and 800m. Founded to provide young girls with opportunities to grow in track and field while excelling academically and personally, Jeuness is a grassroots club based in Brooklyn’s Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights neighbourhoods.
Last weekend, competing at the Youth Challenge in Icahn Stadium, Lorde not only won both her events but set facility records in the 400m and 800m. Her time of 1:07.73 in the Under-7 400m, just a split-second off her personal best, was nearly four seconds faster than the second-place finisher. In the 800m, her 2:35.25 mark shattered her previous best by over 10 seconds and left the runner-up nearly 12 seconds behind.
Talya travels across the US for competitions, and her mom says she loved watching the CARIFTA Games on TV over the Easter holidays. She has already secured qualifying times for this summer’s Junior Olympics, her main focus for the year, and is eager to compete at the AAU Primary National Championships. As she looks ahead to these meets, she hopes to maintain a winning streak.
“She was just beaming with smiles,” Rosalva said after the double victory at Icahn. “She did say that it was five for five, meaning she has won all five of her outdoor season races. She wants to go undefeated for this outdoor season. She had just one second-place finish in the indoor season, so she’s making that her goal.”
Rosalva admitted that balancing track and school for Talya and her younger sister, Rhea, can be challenging. “My life right now is dedicated to my two girls,” she said. “Rhea is younger, and right now, she’s happy tagging along and cheering her sister on. I know that when she gets something that she’s interested in, I will have to find ways to accommodate both of them.”
Still, Rosalva emphasises that it’s all about passion. “Talya loves track, and she doesn’t mind missing out on some of her friends’ birthday parties,” she explains. “She loves swimming and tennis, and she does them whenever she can, so we’re happy with where we’re at now.”
Talya won’t be eligible for international competition for a few more years. She could contend for a spot at the North and Central American and Caribbean Under-13 Games within the next three years, with CARIFTA Games aspirations following after.
For now, the young sprinter is focused on dominating at her level, taking things one season at a time. With strong support from her family and New York’s Saint Lucian community, she’s undoubtedly on the right track.
