Olympic 100-meter champ can’t wait to head home

The athlete who became the pride of the Caribbean at the recent Paris Olympics says she can hardly wait for the end of the Diamond League season to head home to St. Lucia and celebrate with her legion of supporters and well wishers.

Julien Alfred who easily beat a high-class field including race America favorite Sha Cari Richardson in the women’s marquee event, is currently in Europe wrapping up the 2024 outdoor season. She is expected home at the weekend. Authorities are preparing a rousing welcome for her including a motorcade and a package of cash and other rewards. Alfred who lives and trains in the US alongside stars like Dina Asher-Smith, Rashidat Adeleke and Kevona Davis, also picked up a silver in the 200 meters, a race she says she wants to focus on more and improve her times in the coming months, the Times newspaper reported this week.

“I’m going to go back home. I haven’t got a chance to celebrate with my country as yet, to see the youth of my country. So, I really just want to go back to Saint Lucia, and celebrate with them and maybe go for a vacation after that. I’m still deciding on where I want to go. It’s been good. I’ve really been enjoying the process and just really taking in what happened in Paris, but just not getting ahead of myself,” she said. “I’m just trying to take it one step at a time.”

Prime Minister Phillip Davis has already dropped strong hints about declaring a national holiday in her honor but it is unclear whether he will go through with this just yet. Neighboring Dominica and Grenada have already held massive motorcades, outdoor concerts and other ceremonies honoring their athletes who had medaled at the Olympics.

Authorities in Barbados and Antigua, for example, have already said that they are heartened by the performances of those who had medaled and will reboot their sports programs to ensure podium finishes in Los Angeles in 2028. Just this week, Antigua appointed former West Indies Captain Richie Richardson as the national sports czar, responsible for ensuring the twin island federation wins medals in four years time. And now that she is a professional runner, there is less pressure to compete in a plethora of races to remain competitive. She plans a vacation after celebrations in St. Lucia likely this weekend.