“Earlier in the season, I had a breakdown; I was completely out of it. I told my coach I didn’t want to continue the season. I told my agent to cancel my meetings because I didn’t want to continue; I was so hard on myself. I was overweight as well. I was struggling mentally and just feeling like I couldn’t go on. But my coach, he worked with me, he took me off the track for a little bit, and we had a long conversation, we both cried on the phone, and the last thing that he said to me was, ‘Are you ready to be an Olympic Champion?'”
Julien Alfred
Introduction
Saint Lucia is a Caribbean island with a population of only 180,000—a land of picturesque landscapes and sunswept beaches. Tourists flock to its shores yearly for a Caribbean experience of relaxing, sunbathing, great food and exotic cocktails—free-flowing rum and fruits of every colour and size. The exceptionally gifted athlete Julien Alfred is among this nation of talented and creative inhabitants. A 23-year-old who has already made an impression on the world of athletics after winning the gold medal in the 100-metre final at the Olympics in Paris. She set a world record by finishing the race in 10.72 seconds, making her the fastest woman in the world—an inspirational woman who broke the dominance of Jamaica and the USA.
Yet the outcome could have been all so different if Julien hadn’t changed her thought train. Competing and winning gold in the 60-metre finals at the Glasgow World Indoor Championships in March 2024, Alfred was feeling the heat of success and wasn’t prepared to take the pressure of running for her country in the Olympics. She didn’t want to let her family or country down. Yet having a great coach always helps. He pulled her to one side and told her to spend time concentrating on her mental health, physical health and wellbeing. She had hit a mental wall like many in sports do. Public attention causes people to withdraw into their shells. Luckily, Julien found solace on Texas’s training grounds. She trained hard and fought back against the negativity. A plan that worked and made her again the stellar athlete she always was.
Ju Ju
Nicknamed Ju Ju, Julien is a phenomenal force. She not only won gold in Paris, beating America’s Sha’carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson, but she returned to the track three days later and won a silver medal in the 200-metre final. A winner of two medals for Saint Lucia and the first the country had ever won. The win caused seismic applause around the island, and when she returned to her country to celebrate her victories, she was given a regal welcome. A new ambassador for her country and one the islanders had watched with bated breath on the big screens, all in the backdrop of a party atmosphere.
This brave and bold woman was educated at Leon Hess Secondary School, St Catherine High School and the University of Texas; she was in the Texas Longhorns college team and coached by Edrick Floréal, a former triple jumper—a lady who smashed records and won medals in the youth and Commonwealth games. The sprinter is currently visiting London as Saint Lucia’s Tourism Ambassador. A role awarded to her by her government. She has also had a public holiday named after her. The athlete had made the most of her trip, posting several selfies outside London landmarks such as the London Eye, St Paul’s Cathedral and Buckingham Palace. She even brought a female student to tears when she visited a London school. She was emotional and in awe at seeing her athletic hero.
