Putting Saint Lucia on the Track: A Conversation With Olympic Champion Julien Alfred

From humble beginnings to historic victories, Julien Alfred reflects on her journey from Ciceron in St. Lucia to Olympic glory, the support of her island nation, and her mission to inspire the next generation of Saint Lucian athletes

“It still feels surreal,” says Julien Alfred, the Saint Lucian sprint sensation who won her country’s first two Olympic medals in the 2024 Paris Games. In an exclusive interview with the Consortium’s Nelcia Charlemagne, Ms. Alfred says she’s still at a loss for words to accurately describe her monumental achievement.

At only 23 years old, Ms. Alfred represents the pinnacle of Saint Lucian sporting achievement; winning gold in the 100m sprint and silver in the 200m race. While the newly-crowned Olympic Champion may not have the words to adequately capture this moment of triumphant glory for her and her island, her name flows easily from the lips of people worldwide. On the Olympic Games’ YouTube channel, as of press time her winning race has been viewed over 2.1 million times in the six days since it has been posted.