Julien Alfred’s bronze medal at the World Athletics Championships marked another historic milestone for Saint Lucia, its first senior medal at the outdoor Worlds. The 24-year-old Olympic champion clocked 10.84 seconds in Tokyo, Japan, finishing third behind Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the USA and Jamaica’s Tina Clayton.
Jefferson-Wooden capped an undefeated season over the distance, setting a new meet record and running the fourth-fastest 100m time in history. Clayton, just 21, posted a new personal best. Alfred, battling pain and discomfort from a hamstring injury sustained ahead of the final, chose to press on – delivering a courageous and unprecedented finish.
The injury ruled her out of the 200m, where she held the fastest time in the world this year and was widely tipped for a podium spot.
“It really wasn’t my best race,” she told Citius Mag after the 100m final.
“But I think I was honest [the night before]. I was super healthy. And right when I did my last block start, I felt a cramp in my hamstring. Right then, I panicked.
“I didn’t know whether to go to the line or not. I made the decision to go. Even though I’ve been told, ‘Why would you go still?’ I think if I sat down behind in the call room and decided not to run, I think I would have regretted it even more.”
Saint Lucians and track fans across the Caribbean and beyond are now hoping for Alfred’s full recovery, especially with no global meets on the calendar next year. In just two full seasons as a professional, she has given the nation so much. Even before her Olympic gold in the 100m, she had already won the 60m at the World Indoor Championships and claimed back-to-back 100m titles in the Wanda Diamond League.
With her 2025 campaign ending early, Alfred and her team, led by University of Texas head coach Edrick Floreal, may begin preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she earned silver last time. Or they may opt to skip international competition altogether and focus on 2027.
Either way, this season was triumphant, despite its difficult close. Alfred ends the year with national records in the indoor 400m, 300m, and 200m. Her 21.71-second run at the London Athletics Meet in July ranks as her second-best performance ever, trailing only the second-fastest indoor 200m of all time, and ahead of her Olympic-winning mark. Her 10.77-second 100m into a stiff wind at the Prefontaine Classic also ranks among her top five career performances, according to World Athletics.
It’s no surprise Alfred described herself as “blessed” to win bronze. It’s equally understandable that she felt disappointed by the way the season ended. She and her team worked tirelessly to reach that point. And in her third appearance at Worlds, she finally came away with silverware.
“I’m glad I made the decision to go out there and run,” she said. “I have a medal to show for it; that I’m a hard worker and tough.”
At Eugene 2022, then a Texas senior, Alfred’s 100m campaign ended in the semifinals with a false start. A year later, at Budapest 2023, she reached both the 100m and 200m finals, placing fifth and fourth, respectively, despite the wear of the collegiate season.
Simply put, the past three years have been nothing short of phenomenal for the young woman we watched rise from Ciceron Primary, Leon Hess Comprehensive, and St Catherine High in Jamaica. She has more than fulfilled her potential. At this point in her career, Julien Alfred has given Saint Lucia more than we could have imagined. She owes the nation nothing.
Most of the responses to Alfred’s injury—on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter – have been overwhelmingly gracious and supportive. It’s a shame she may not see many of them, if any.
Famously media-shy and averse to social media, Alfred has nonetheless acknowledged the pride and pressure of being Saint Lucia’s trailblazer on the global stage. But she has more than delivered. Everything now is gravy.
The Olympic champion is expected to return home soon for an engagement with sponsors BodyHoliday. Hopefully, she’ll get ample time to relax and reset. This visit promises to be far less demanding than last year’s, following her Olympic triumph. That’s probably a good thing; a chance to spend extended quiet time with friends and family, out of the spotlight, reflecting on her extraordinary success.
