Rising junior track athlete Jenna-Marie Thomas charts off to Geneva, Ohio, United States on Wednesday on a full athletic scholarship at SPIRE Institute and Academy.
Thomas, 14, currently holds four NGC/NAAATT National Junior Championship titles having swept the girls’ U-15 60-metre hurdles, 200m, 300m hurdles and 400m events at the annual meet in July. There, she also earned U-17 shot put silver.
The IG Fastlane Athletics Club sprinter/hurdler will continue her high school studies at SPIRE in grade ten and will focus on developing in the 200 and 400m sprints, as well as 100m and 400m hurdles.
Thomas was pleased to secure the scholarship at such a young age and is intent on making the most of her budding athletic career. She leaves Holy Faith Convent, Couva to head to Ohio.
“I attained this scholarship by displaying great potential on the track, and academically, which provided the opportunity for me to qualify and receive a full athletic scholarship.
“Getting a scholarship at this age was unexpected; however, receiving one would have been part of my goals as an athlete. Some of my main goals and aspirations I would like to achieve while there are improving and excel in both sprint and hurdle events,” she said.
Locally, she’s been coached by IG Fastlane’s Samuel Roach for the past seven years. Her hurdles coaches are Nataki Dasant, Heathcliffe Thorne, Aiesha Colthrust and Kern Alexis.
Thomas also earned girls’ U-17 4x100m relay bronze at the Carifta Games in Jamaica earlier this year. She was fifth in the 400m final.
Thomas also finished fourth in the women’s 400m event at the 2022 National Open Championships, clocking 57.89 seconds.
Despite her experience on the track, Thomas said she was still a bit nervy to start school in the US. However, the speedster wants to embrace the opportunity and face the challenges head on, in pursuit of a successful athletic career.
“I am bit anxious but mostly excited to study because of the new experiences. I think balancing school and sport would be quite similar to what I normally do just balancing a new environment would be a bit challenging in view of the fact that the climate is different to my home country.
“I plan on approaching everything with a positive attitude in that way it will be one step closer to achieving my goals,” she added.
Her personal bests are; 60m hurdles (9.53s), 100m (12.82s), 200m (25.90s), 100m hurdles (15.31s), 300m hurdles (44.89s), 400m (57.89s), 400m hurdles (1.05s), high jump (1.53m) and shot put (10.06m).
Looking ahead, Thomas said she would like to spend most of her time working on the 400m hurdles.
Olympic champion Julien Alfred wraps up UK tour with visits to Ladbroke Grove schools
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred concluded her tour of the United Kingdom on Thursday with visits to two schools in Ladbroke Grove, London, where she inspired students from the vibrant Saint Lucian community in the area. This wraps up a whirlwind week for Alfred, who has been actively promoting St. Lucia in her new role as the island’s Tourism Ambassador.
Alfred’s day began at St. Mary’s Primary School, where students, aged 5 to 11, welcomed her with a special assembly and a hymn, creating a warm, uplifting start to the visit. Alfred gave an inspiring talk to the young audience, sharing her journey from her small Caribbean island to the Olympic podium, and then answered questions from eager students about her achievements and what it’s like to be an Olympian.
The visit continued at All Saints Catholic College, a secondary school for students aged 11 to 17, where Alfred joined a Physical Education lesson, offering insights into the training and challenges that helped shape her career. Following a tour of the school, she participated in an assembly featuring the school’s steel pan band, answering students' questions on her historic gold-medal victory at the 2024 Paris Olympics and her excitement about her new ambassadorial role.
Alfred was joined by acclaimed British Saint Lucian author Laura Henry-Allain, the Mayor of the Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and His Excellency the High Commissioner for Saint Lucia, adding to the event's significance for the local community.
Reflecting on her week-long UK tour, Alfred shared, “It’s been quite the week. On Saturday I met with other ambassadors from Asia and Africa with His Excellency the High Commissioner. On Sunday I met my people, St Lucians in the UK, on Monday I spoke to media about my new role and then it was World Travel Market. To see all the countries around the world being represented was quite something. It’s been an honour to use my platform to help promote my island.”
Alfred’s ambassadorship follows her incredible success at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where she became the 100m champion, making history for St. Lucia. Now, with her UK commitments complete, Alfred will return her focus to preparing for the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, where she will aim to continue her stellar track record.
Alfred’s UK tour has not only strengthened ties with the St Lucian community in the UK but also highlighted the island on a global stage, underscoring her dedication to her role as an ambassador both on and off the track.
Julien Alfred reveals she almost withdrew from Olympics due to pressure
Olympic champion Julien Alfred, who rose to global fame this summer by winning gold in the 100 metres at the Paris Olympic Games, has revealed in an interview with Sky Sports that she nearly withdrew from the Games due to the intense pressure she felt after a standout performance earlier in the year. The 23-year-old, who clocked an impressive 10.72 seconds to claim her title as the world's fastest woman, shared her journey through the mental and physical challenges she faced leading up to her historic win.
Reflecting on her victory at the Stade de France, Alfred said, “I remember screaming so loud and bursting into tears just knowing all my hard work and sacrifice has paid off and knowing how hard it was to get to that point in my career. All I could do was just cry.”
However, after winning gold in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow earlier this year, Alfred admitted she felt overwhelming pressure to continue delivering exceptional performances. “I put so much pressure on myself after the World Indoors that I have to deliver every single time,” she said. “My coach took me off the track, took me out of competition so I can just focus on my mental health and my physical health as well.”
The expectation to perform at her peak weighed heavily on Alfred, especially as she took on the role of a trailblazer for St. Lucia. “That was such a hard time for me where I felt like there’s no way I’m going to continue, there’s no way I feel like I have the mental capacity to go to the line again and to represent my country,” she admitted. “Suddenly I got more attention, especially after winning the World Indoors, that I was not used to. I'm just so used to doing well and going back to my shell where I just work on the little things and then go back on the line whenever I have to again.”
Despite the struggle, Alfred overcame the pressure, becoming not only St. Lucia’s first Olympic gold medalist but also securing silver in the 200m three days later, marking her country’s first two Olympic medals. Known affectionately as “Ju Ju” back home, Alfred returned to the track determined to make her nation proud, sharing the podium with American stars Sha’carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson.
During her time in the UK as St. Lucia's Tourism Ambassador, Alfred has embraced her role as a national icon. She represented her country at the World Tourism Market and visited schools to inspire young students, encouraging the next generation to pursue their dreams.
Olympic champion Julien Alfred engages officials and the public as St Lucia's tourism ambassador at World Travel Market in London
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred of Saint Lucia made a celebrated appearance at the World Travel Market (WTM) in London, engaging with members of the travel industry and the general public as Saint Lucia’s Tourism Ambassador. Alfred, who earned the ambassadorial role in September following her historic gold medal win in the 100m at the Paris Olympics in August, has been the face of Saint Lucia’s tourism efforts in London since her arrival last weekend.
At just 23 years old, Alfred has quickly become an icon for Saint Lucia, not only as the country’s first Olympic gold medalist but also as a silver medalist in the 200m. Her presence at WTM, the premier global event for the travel industry, has drawn significant interest. The event, which has been held annually for over 40 years, attracts approximately 45,000 attendees from more than 150 countries, providing a platform for key players in the tourism sector to connect, share ideas, and foster business relationships.
Over the past two days, Alfred has been actively involved in WTM activities, meeting with travel industry professionals and the general public. Her role as Tourism Ambassador allows her to promote Saint Lucia, emphasizing the island’s rich culture, vibrant heritage, and unique travel experiences. Her interactions have aimed to inspire new interest in Saint Lucia as a premier Caribbean destination, leveraging her global recognition as an Olympic champion.
As Saint Lucia’s Tourism Ambassador, Alfred has embraced her role with enthusiasm, and her appearance at WTM underscores her commitment to representing her homeland on the world stage.
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