Ahead of the Diamond League final in Brussels, the Olympic 100m champion on why she was inspired by the Jamaican superstar when she was growing up
Julien Alfred has stated she’s “always wanted to be Usain Bolt” and that “he was more than my idol”.
Ahead of the final Diamond League of the season in Brussels (September 13-14), the Olympic 100m champion opened up about the start of her athletics career and what it meant to claim the gold medal in Paris.
Julien
Alfred won Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medals and the country has now declared a national holiday to celebrate Julien Alfred‘s ” 100m gold and 200m silver on September 27.
The 23-year-old will return to Saint Lucia on September 24 and there are plans for both a motorcade parade and a mural of herself outside her primary school.
Before she flies back home, Alfred finishes off her season over 100m at Memorial Van Damme and takes time to reflect on the season and her achievements.
“When I was 14, I moved from Saint Lucia to Jamaica,” she said. “I left my mum and siblings behind. My dad died when I was 12. My mum had put a note in my suitcase that read ‘follow your dream’.”
Usain Bolt (Mark Shearman)
On being inspired by the fastest man in history, Alfred added: “I’ve always wanted to be Usain Bolt, ever since I was little. He was more than my idol. It’s incredible what he has achieved in his career. Unfortunately, I have never met him. I also look up to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce very much.”
After growing up in Jamaica, she moved to the US and undertook Youth & Community Studies at the University of Texas.
Representing Texas Longhorns, the Saint Lucian became the first ever NCAA woman to run under seven seconds in the 60m; claimed NCAA 60m, 100m, 200m, and 4x100m titles (60m/200m indoors and 100m/4x100m outdoors) and was named the winner of the prestigious Bowerman award for the 2022-23 season.
That set her up perfectly for a professional career and at last year’s World Championships in Budapest, she finished fifth and fourth over 100m and 200m respectively.
Then, at this year’s World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, the Saint Lucian claimed a stunning gold for her country in the 60m.
Olympic women’s 100m final (Getty)
It therefore wasn’t a surprise that Alfred beat world 100m champion Sha’Carri Richardson at the Olympics, clocking what was a national record of 10.72.
Alfred’s victory sparked wild celebrations in Saint Lucia as the island celebrated their first-ever Olympic medal.
In their first meeting after the Games, Richardson just edged the Saint Lucian to the line at the Zurich Diamond League and the pair will once again go head-to-head in the Belgian capital.
“I don’t want to use the word revenge,” Julien Alfred said. “I never run against anyone, I do it for myself and just want to finish the season in style. For the same reason, I’m not focused on times either.”
Around 70,000 tickets have been sold for the Brussels Diamond League so far and UK viewers can watch it live on BBC Two and BBC Three from 7-9 pm BST across both days respectively.
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