“I’ve always dreamed of being like Usain Bolt,” says Julien Alfred, who has been chasing greatness from a young age. The Saint Lucian sprinter has steadily carved out her place in history, dominating short sprints with unmatched speed and determination. What truly sets her apart is her versatility no American female sprinter holds national records across multiple distances the way Alfred does.
At the Paris 2024 Olympics, Alfred claimed the 100m gold, leaving Sha’Carri Richardson behind, and secured silver in the 200m behind Gabby Thomas. Her competitive spirit and adaptability have become her greatest strengths, especially as 2025 unfolds with unexpected shifts in her approach. Rivals may have thought they knew Alfred’s game plan—but she continues to surprise them.
Julien Alfred is rewriting history, race by race. At the Tiger Paw Invitational in Clemson, she broke the St. Lucian 400m indoor record with a time of 52.97 seconds, adding to her national records in the 60m, 100m, 200m, and 300m. Her adaptability, from the explosive 100m to the endurance-testing 400m, sets her apart from competitors like Gabby Thomas and Shericka Jackson. Though Thomas holds a 200m personal best of 21.61 seconds and Jackson boasts the all-time leading time of 21.41 seconds, Alfred’s steady improvement (currently at 21.86 seconds) signals she’s closing in fast.
Alfred’s participation in longer sprints is building the stamina needed to challenge the world’s best. She isn’t just keeping up with Thomas and Jackson—she’s forcing them to chase her. Her coach, Edrick Floreal, has strategically pushed her beyond her comfort zone, a plan Alfred fully trusts despite its challenges. Her 36.16-second win in the 300m at the New Balance Grand Prix in Boston, defeating Dina Asher-Smith, is proof of her relentless drive.
Alfred’s training partner, Dina Asher-Smith, is also pushing limits, setting a new personal best of 52.31 seconds in the 400m at Clemson. As Alfred and Asher-Smith embrace versatility to build strength and endurance, one question lingers—will more track and field stars follow their lead?
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