Alfred reflects on historic World Indoors bronze

Julien Alfred is happy to be healthy and proud to make history for Saint Lucia again, earning bronze on March 20 at the World Athletics Indoor Championships women’s 60m. Competing in Toruń, Poland, the 24-year-old from Ciceron finished in 7.03 seconds, behind gold medallist Zaynad Dosso of Italy and American Jacious Sears.

With the slowest reaction to the starter’s pistol, the Olympic 100m champion admitted that this aspect of her race weighed on her mind ahead of her second World Indoors.  

“The 60m is very short, and the most crucial part was the start,” she told World Athletics. “Even if it doesn’t look like that, it has been really stressing me out. But I am happy to bring a new medal home, to my Saint Lucia.”

Alfred crashed out of the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo with a hamstring injury but secured bronze in the 100m. After recovering and entering World Indoors with the joint-fastest time globally, she was simply happy to leave feeling good.

“I’m healthy,” she said in another post-race interview. “I mean, as we can all see, I ended my last season unhealthy. But, you know, it’s something to learn from, and I’m just moving forward from here.”

With her fifth international medal secured, however, Alfred also brought her psychological preparation into focus. In another interview, she revealed that she has been working to put life and athletics into perspective.

“My biggest lesson now is learning how to lose, and how I bounce back from that is the most important thing,” Alfred explained. “I’m working with a mental coach now, who’s really teaching me, like, if it doesn’t go your way, then, oh well. The world doesn’t end… I had to learn the hard way to come out here and really just be Julien. 

“Even though I mess up, even though I don’t leave with a medal or hardware, the world keeps on spinning, and I have nothing to complain about. I have life. I have health. And yeah, I’m really grateful to World Indoors this year.”

Alfred noted that she had not had a chance to think about what’s next for her. The Commonwealth Games in Glasgow 2026 would be her biggest meet of the year. She won silver in the 100m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Whatever her plans for the track, though, she said her next step would be to explore Poland.

“I’ve been here since Monday evening, and I’ve just been in my room, really focusing on what I have to do here,” she said. “I came here to do a job and got a medal. So, I have a lot to be grateful for. I didn’t have a chance to explore the city of Toruń at all, so I hope I will get to enjoy it a bit now.”