Alfred won gold medals in the 4x100m relay, 100m and 200m to accomplish perfect end to her collegiate career.
Birthday girl Julien Alfred celebrated with three gold medals and a national team title as the 2023 NCAA Outdoor Track and Field Championships concluded in Austin, Texas on Saturday night.
Within a span of just over 90 minutes, the St Lucian track star, who turned 22, won gold in the 4x100m relay, 100m and 200m to close a stellar collegiate career and make the case of being the greatest female sprinter in NCAA Track and Field history, according to winning coach Eldrick Floreal.
“Without a doubt the greatest sprinter in NCAA history,” said Floreal, who guided the Longhorns to their first title in 18 years.
It would be difficult to dispute Floreal’s declaration considering what Alfred, who has lost once this season, managed to accomplish on Saturday.
She began the evening by leading the Texas Longhorn 4x100m relay gold in 41.60, the second fastest in NCAA history. Only the 41.55 they ran in the semi-finals on Thursday night is faster.
The University of Kentucky was almost a second behind in 42.46 with LSU third in 42.52.
Approximately, 50 minutes later Alfred stormed to victory in the 100m in a fantastic time of 10.72s that was only ‘ruined’ by a trailing wind that was at 2.3 m/s, slightly over the maximum allowable limit of 2.00 m/s.
Oklahoma’s Kennedy Blackmon ran 10.87 to take the silver medal while Tennessee’s Jacious Sears clocked 10.94 to win the bronze medal.
Alfred’s Texas teammate Kevona Davis was fifth in 10.98s.
Forty-five minutes later, Alfred was at it again pulling off a dominant performance to win the 200m in 21.73, which was again blighted by a trailing wind of 2.5m/s.
Finishing in her wake was Ole Miss’ McKenzie Long who stopped the clock at 21.88s and Davis, who was third in 22.02.
Afterwards, Alfred showered praise Coach Floreal, who helped her achieve success in her time at Texas.
"My coach has been my biggest influence in my life, my five years here at Texas," she said. "Prior to beginning the championships, I went to speak to him, and he said let’s not focus on myself, focus on the team. That changed the pressure. It made a huge difference."
Alfred wasn’t the only standout during these championships for Texas. While the St Lucian was busy tearing up the track, Ackelia Smith, who Floreal also singled out for praise, followed up her victory in the long jump on Thursday night with a personal best 14.54m in the triple to win silver behind Florida’s Jasmine Moore.
The Florida freshman produced an NCAA meet record of 14.78m, a new lifetime best as well as facility record.
Ruta Lasmane of Texas Tech was third with 14.21m.
Perhaps, the race of the night was the 100m hurdles that featured the three best collegiate hurdlers this season – Arkansas’ Ackera Nugent, LSU’s Alia Armstrong and Kentucky’s Masai Russell.
With a strong wind of 3.8m/s behind their backs, a condition that usually makes it difficult for sprint hurdlers, the three women running next to each in other in the centre of the track unleashed an epic battle that saw the Jamaican Nugent emerging victorious in 12.26s even after clipping the final hurdle.
Russell hit a hurdle early but managed to compose herself and storm past Armstrong and into second in 12.31. Armstrong, the fastest of the three, hit a hurdle mid-race, lost her momentum but managed to right herself and take the bronze in 12.49.
All season long Arkansas’ Britton Wilson dominated the 400m and was favoured to win gold, especially after dropping a lifetime best of 49.13 to win the SEC title in May.
On Thursday, she ran a fast 49.36 to win her semi-final, solidifying her position of gold-medal favourite. However, someone forgot to tell Texas’ Rhasidat Adeleke, who produced a powerful surge down the home stretch to take victory in 49.20, a massive personal best which broke Wilson’s two-day-old facility and meet record.
Wilson was second in 49.64. Her teammate Nickisha Price, who is from Jamaica, ran a personal best 50.23 for third place. Price later helped Arkansas win the 4x400m title in 3:24.05 in a dominant performance over Texas A&M (3:26.12) and Ohio State (3:26.72).
In 2022, Lamara Distin dominated the high jump in Division 1, winning both indoor and outdoor titles while soaring to new height of 1.97m outdoors, a national record.
However, after equaling that height indoors earlier this season, Distin was unable to replicate that performance on Saturday and it proved costly.
The Texas A&M senior could only muster 1.87m, a height not good enough to successful defend her title that went to Charity Griffith of Ball State who sailed over a personal best 1.93m.
Elena Kulichenko of the University of Georgia took the bronze having also cleared 1.87m but Distin was better on the count back.
At the end of it all and thanks mainly to Alfred’s 30 points, Texas amassed 83 points, 32 more than Florida (51) with Arkanas third with 46 points.
Oregon (44) and Texas A&M (36) rounded out the top five schools.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Julien Alfred named finalist for World Track Athlete of the Year among elite group of Olympic champions
St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred has been announced as one of only two finalists for the Women’s Track Athlete of the Year, joining a select group of elite athletes recognized for their extraordinary achievements at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Alfred, who made history as the Olympic 100m champion, shares the nomination with America’s Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, the 400m hurdles gold medalist, in one of the most prestigious categories of the World Athletics Awards.
Alfred’s selection is a testament to her incredible season and historic achievements, as she became the first St. Lucian to capture Olympic gold, blazing her way into the record books and capturing the pride of her nation and the Caribbean region.
In the men’s track category, Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo stand as finalists for their outstanding performances. Ingebrigtsen, who won gold in the Olympic 5000m, showcased his tactical mastery and resilience in a fiercely contested race. Tebogo, meanwhile, surged to victory in the 200m final, demonstrating remarkable speed that highlighted his arrival on the global stage as one of the world’s top sprinters.
In the field events, Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh and Belgium’s Nafissatou Thiam are recognized for their Olympic victories in high jump and heptathlon, respectively. Mahuchikh thrilled audiences with her powerful jumps that secured her the Olympic high jump title, while Thiam’s exceptional all-around abilities earned her a gold in the heptathlon, marking yet another milestone in her storied career.
For the men’s field category, Sweden’s Mondo Duplantis and Greece’s Miltiadis Tentoglou were selected as finalists. Duplantis, the Olympic pole vault champion, continued his dominance in the event with yet another gold, while Tentoglou captured the long jump title, showcasing his skill and consistency with a leap that secured him Olympic glory.
In out-of-stadium events, Kenyan marathon record-holder Ruth Chepngetich and Netherlands’ Olympic marathon champion Sifan Hassan are both celebrated for their monumental achievements on the road. Chepngetich has been a powerhouse in marathon running, while Hassan, already an established name on the track, made a remarkable transition to the marathon with her victory in Paris.
On the men’s side, Ecuador’s Brian Pintado and Ethiopia’s Tamirat Tola are finalists for their triumphs in the Olympic 20km race walk and marathon, respectively. Pintado’s endurance and technique earned him gold in race walking, while Tola’s marathon victory in Paris reaffirmed his standing among the world’s premier distance runners.
The World Athletics Awards ceremony will celebrate these champions, recognizing their dedication and outstanding achievements that have pushed the boundaries of the sport. For Julien Alfred, this nomination highlights an unforgettable year, as her Olympic victory resonates deeply within her homeland and across the Caribbean, inspiring a new generation of athletes.
Alfred grateful for continued recognition after Olympic success in Paris
St. Lucian Olympic champion Julien Alfred is grateful to continue to receive recognition for her historic achievements at the Paris Olympics in August.
On Wednesday, the 23-year-old took home the award of best female athlete of Paris 2024 at the Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC) Awards ceremony held in Cascais, Portugal.
Alfred stormed to a historic 100m gold medal in Paris, the first Olympic medal in St. Lucia’s history.
“It’s truly an amazing feeling getting the love and support. I was not expecting so many praises, tonight especially, but it’s an amazing feeling knowing that my sacrifices and hard work are being celebrated and I’m truly grateful for it,” Alfred said after receiving her award.
She also spoke of her status as a role model for youngsters in St. Lucia and the importance of making them feel like nothing is impossible once you work towards it.
“It’s truly inspiring. Growing up, I looked at Usain Bolt and Levern Spencer, one of my countrywomen, but to be able to be standing here inspiring the youth is something that I’ve always dreamt of and it makes me feel like all my hard work is paying off,” she said.
“Now it’s time to continue to inspire the nation and the youth that no matter where you’re from, you can always work towards your dream,” she added.
Another history maker, Botswana’s 200m Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo, took home the award for best male athlete at Paris 2024.
The award for best male team went to Denmark Handball while the best female team went to Italy Volleyball.
The best male team in individual sports award went to Japan Artistic Gymnastics while the female award went to Great Britain Track Cycling.
Austria’s Lukas Mahr and Lara Vadlau took home the award for best mixed team while Chinese six-time Olympic Table Tennis champion Ma Long and New Zealand’s eight-time Olympic gold medallist in canoeing Lisa Carrington took home the male and female outstanding career awards, respectively.
Julien Alfred named Best Female Athlete of Paris 2024 by ANOC
St Lucia’s sprint sensation Julien Alfred has been awarded the prestigious Best Female Athlete of the Paris 2024 Olympics by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC). Alfred, who dominated the 100m event with a lifetime-best 10.72 seconds, was present to receive the accolade at a grand ceremony in Cascais, Portugal, honoring standout athletes from the 2024 Olympic Games.
Alfred, 23, delivered a spectacular performance at the Paris Games, capturing gold in the women’s 100m final and securing a silver in the 200m with a time of 22.08 seconds. Her 100m victory, marked by a personal best, cemented her place as one of the fastest women in the world and brought home an Olympic gold medal for St. Lucia, a historic achievement for the Caribbean nation.
The St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) congratulated Alfred on her win, expressing pride in her accomplishments and the impact she continues to have on young athletes across the island. “We extend heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Julien Alfred on being awarded this remarkable accolade. We hope her continued successes inspire present and future athletes,” the SLOC stated, emphasizing Alfred’s role in representing St. Lucia on the global stage.
With this award, Alfred joins an elite group of Olympic athletes celebrated for their dedication and excellence, marking a significant moment for her career and St. Lucian sports. Her achievements in Paris underscore her status as one of the brightest stars in athletics, inspiring fans worldwide and leaving an indelible mark on the history of the Games.
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