Related items

• Jamaican Olympian Inez Turner Honoured with Lifetime Achievement Award and Hall of Fame Induction at Fayetteville State University

  On October 25, 2024, Fayetteville State University celebrated the remarkable career of Jamaican Olympian Inez Turner by bestowing upon her a Lifetime Achievement Award and inducting her into the 2024 Wall and Hall of Fame. Turner, the head coach of Track and Field and Cross Country at Fayetteville State, was recognized for her enduring contributions to athletics, her stellar coaching career, and her legacy as an elite competitor on the international stage. 

  The induction ceremony, held at the John D. Fuller, Sr. Recreational Athletic Complex, was organized by Chairman Stephen Sims and his committee. Turner joined an esteemed group of inductees, including other former athletes, coaches, and the celebrated 2002 CIAA Championship Football Team, as they were formally enshrined into the institution’s Hall of Fame.

   

  A native of Trelawny Parish, Jamaica, Turner’s journey in athletics began at Barton Community College, where she earned an impressive 16 National Junior College All-America honors and set multiple school records. In 1993, she captured the NJCAA Division I Championship in the 800m with a record-breaking 2:04.88, setting the stage for her future as an elite athlete. Representing Jamaica on the global stage, Turner competed in the 800m and 4x400m relay at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. She won gold in the 800m at the 1994 Commonwealth Games and a bronze in the 4x400m relay at the 1997 World Championships, adding to her collection of medals from the CARIFTA Games and CAC Junior Championships. 

  Turner’s athletic achievements transitioned seamlessly into a coaching career beginning in 2004, with stints at New York Track Club and North Carolina A&T State University. As head coach at Winston-Salem State University, she led her teams to nine conference titles and was named CIAA Coach of the Year eight times. Her success continued upon joining Fayetteville State University in 2017, where she transformed the program into a powerhouse. Under her guidance, the women's cross country team secured six consecutive CIAA titles, while the indoor track & field team also excelled, capturing multiple championships. In total, Turner has led her teams to 23 CIAA Championship titles, each one cemented with a Coach of the Year honor.

   

  Turner’s influence extends beyond the track, as evidenced by the Inez Turner Foundation, which she founded in 2012 to support disadvantaged students at her alma mater, Vere Technical High School. Armed with a Bachelor of Science degree in Exercise and Sports Science from Texas State University, Turner’s dedication to empowering others reflects the purpose of Fayetteville State University’s Athletics Hall of Fame: honoring those who have made outstanding and significant contributions to the program.

   Turner’s recognition serves as a testament to her profound impact on the sport and the lives she has touched throughout her career. Her legacy, both as an athlete and a coach, will inspire generations to come, underscoring the power of commitment, resilience, and a passion for excellence.

   

• Improving core, mental strength the main focus for Alfred in preparation for 2025 season

  Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred will emphasize improving her core strength in preparation for the 2025 season, with an eye on improving her performances in the 200m.

  Despite being the second fastest woman ever in the event indoors with her 22.01 at the NCAA Indoor Championships in 2023, with only the legendary Merlene Ottey going faster with 21.87 in 1993, Alfred has often said she’s not a fan of the half lap event.

  Alfred also won the 200m at the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2023 with a wind-aided 21.73.

  This year, she won Olympic silver in the event in Paris in August, running 22.08 behind American Gabby Thomas who’s winning time was 21.83.

  A month before the Olympics, Alfred set a personal best 21.86 in a winning effort at the London Diamond League meet.

  Speaking on the latest episode on Out d Blocks on the SportsMax TV YouTube Channel, Alfred spoke about wanting to get stronger.

   “I think I have a lot to work on. I have to get stronger, especially my core. On the track, I think that getting stronger mentally as well as physically is really what I have to work on,”

  The 23-year-old also mentioned that her coach, Edrick Floreal, is working to improve how she feels about the 200m.

  “I’ve spoken about the 200m for a really long time and how I feel about it. My coach is going to work with me with how I fell about the 200m in getting stronger and being more comfortable in that,” she said.

  “It might take some longer races, I don’t know but I think he’s really trying to help me get stronger mentally as I approach the 2025 season, especially as it pertains to the 200m,” Alfred added.

  With these performances in mind, one can only imagine the times Alfred will be able to run if she starts to actually enjoy the event.

  If that happens in 2025, her personal best is definitely in danger and it would be no surprise to see her leave the Tokyo World Championships in September with a pair of gold medals.

   

   

• “I don’t feel like I’ve made it yet”- Olympic champion Julien Alfred hungry for more success

  Julien Alfred’s 2024 season was one for the books and the St. Lucian superstar is eyeing even more success going forward.

  The 23-year-old began her first full season as a professional athlete with a six-race win streak in the indoor 60m, culminating with her first major global title at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland on March 2.

  The 2023 Bowerman Award winner then embarked on a spectacular outdoor season which saw her become her country’s first ever Olympic medallist by winning 100m gold in Paris in a national record 10.72 in August before closing out her season by winning the 100m title at the Diamond League final in Brussels in 10.88 in September.

  Alfred also won 200m silver at the Olympics in 22.08.

  As a result of her exploits on the track, Alfred has been subject of an appropriate week of celebration by her home country St. Lucia since her return on September 24.

  Alfred was greeted by a parade of fans upon her arrival to the island, September 27 was formally recognized by the St. Lucian Government as ‘Julien Alfred Day’ going forward, a mural celebrating her was painted at her alma mater Ciceron Primary School and she was named as a Tourism Ambassador for St. Lucia.

  With all that being said, Alfred still feels like there is more work to do to solidify her legacy in the sport.

  “I don’t feel like I’ve made it yet,” Alfred said on the latest episode of Out d Blocks on the SportsMax TV YouTube Channel.

  “That alone keeps me pushing and going for more,” she added.

  Most people with her accolades, even after just one year, would get comfortable and feel like they’ve already solidified themselves as a staple in their respective field but not Alfred.

  “There are accolades that I still want in my life and my career. Yes, I accomplished an Olympic gold, World Indoors, Diamond League final winner but I don’t have accolades in the World Championships outdoors yet,” Alfred said.

  “Even the 200m title at the Olympics. I feel like there’s still more I can chase and go after and just leave my legacy and pay tribute to all those who pour into me and give back to them in such a way,” she added.

  After a grueling NCAA season, Alfred competed at the World Championships in Budapest in 2023. She got to the final of the 100m, finishing fifth in 10.93 before narrowly missing out on a medal in the 200m final, running 22.05 for fourth.

  If her 2024 form is a precursor, Alfred could be in for a massive World Championships in Tokyo in 2025.