St. Lucia’s Olympic gold medallist hopes to inspire youth and government to invest in athletics

St. Lucia’s 100-metres 2024 Paris Olympics gold medalist Julien Alfred hopes that her win will inspire St. Lucian youths and the government to invest in athletics.

Julien shocked world this morning when she won gold in Women’s 100-metre race after beating favourites, Sha'Carri Richardson of the USA, who had to settle for silver.

She also won St. Lucia's first-ever medal at the Olympic Games.

She says growing up she used to be on the field, struggling with no shoes, running barefoot, and running in her school uniform.

As the rain teemed down at a raucous Stade de France Stadium, Alfred dominated the final and took victory by a clear margin with a national record of 10.72 seconds.

Alfred says it means a lot to her, her coach, and the country which she is sure is celebrating right now.

Alfred, who trains in the United States, left the eastern Caribbean island during her early teens, to go to Jamaica before moving to the University of Texas.

She says she started the day watching highlights of the legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt to inspire her.

In 2008 in Beijing, he famously attributed his gold medal-winning run in the 100m to capacious helpings of chicken nuggets and catnaps.

After her historic feat, she dedicated the medal to her late father and says he believed that she could do it.

Alfred says he passed away in 2013 and he couldn’t get to see her on the biggest stage of her career.

The gold medallist says they barely had facilities while growing up in St Lucia.

Alfred says she is really hoping this gold medal helps the youth and the St Lucian government to also build the new stadium to just keep the sport growing.

American world champion Sha'Carri Richardson took silver in a time of 10.87 seconds, with compatriot Melissa Jefferson finishing third with a time of 10.92 seconds.

Alfred was the only sprinter at the Olympics besides Richardson to break 10.8 seconds this year.

When they lined up next to each other in the semi-finals, it was billed as part of the psychological warfare.

Alfred won that race by .05 of a second. In the final on a rain-soaked track, she tripled that margin.

Julien Alfred won by 0.15 seconds.

That's **pure domination** for a 100m race! #BBCOlympics #Olympics #Paris2024 pic.twitter.com/4ZuG874XQ7

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) August 3, 2024

The result meant the United States' 28-year gold medal drought in the event goes on.

Source: Olympics/RFI