Cried So Much”: Julien Alfred Expresses Grief Over Biggest Career Crisis in Track & Field

Did Jamaica’s Support Make The Difference For Julien Alfred’s Paris Olympics Win? Share Your Thoughts!

10.72 seconds. That’s all it took to destroy the Jamaican track and field dominance in 100m this year. People were expecting Sha’Carri Richardson to win the gold, but St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred blazed through the track and claimed her country’s first-ever Olympic medal. But did you know that Alfred shares a deep connection with Jamaica?

About 1,136 miles away from St. Lucia, Jamaica helped the young athlete master her craft. No wonder Jamaican fans highlighted her connection to the nation’s rich track and field history as Alfred made some revelations. But there’s so much more to her story- like her early career crisis.

In an interview from Aug. 18, Alfred shared her journey, and how Usain Bolt inspired her. “I wanted to help my family and I saw running as a way out. So I watched a few of his races before mine. I had to go back to my roots to see how he handled everything, from the pressure to the celebrations. He was an inspiration to me growing up and I wanted to be just like him.”