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.
Julien Alfred misses out on World Athletics Track Athlete of the Year as McLaughlin-Levrone takes top honour
St. Lucia’s sprint sensation Julien Alfred missed out on the prestigious World Athletics Female Track Athlete of the Year award, as Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone claimed the title during the 2024 World Athletics Awards in Monaco. The event celebrated the year's finest performances across multiple categories, culminating in the crowning of Sifan Hassan and Letsile Tebogo as the overall World Athletes of the Year.
Alfred, who enjoyed a breakthrough year highlighted by her dominance on the track and consistent record-breaking performances, was among the standout nominees in the women’s track category. However, the honor went to McLaughlin-Levrone, who set two world records in the 400m hurdles—clocking 50.65 and 50.37—while claiming double gold at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the hurdles and the 4x400m relay.
The awards ceremony was a celebration of excellence, with McLaughlin-Levrone joining an elite roster of winners that included Hassan, who won three medals at the Paris Olympics, including marathon gold in an Olympic record of 2:22:55. Tebogo made history as the first athlete from Botswana to win Olympic gold, taking the 200m title in a blistering African record of 19.46.
Field athletes Mondo Duplantis and Yaroslava Mahuchikh were also honored, having set new world records in the pole vault and high jump, respectively, while marathon champions Tamirat Tola and Hassan took the out-of-stadium awards. Rising Stars Sembo Almayew of Ethiopia and Mattia Furlani of Italy were celebrated for their promising performances.
Although Alfred did not clinch the track award, her achievements in 2024, including multiple podium finishes and record times, solidify her status as one of the sport's rising stars. Her remarkable consistency and ability to shine on the world stage have made her a source of pride for St. Lucia and the Caribbean. Fans and analysts alike anticipate her continued growth and potential to claim top honors in future seasons.
The night served as a reminder of the incredible talent across athletics, with World Athletics President Sebastian Coe praising all the nominees and winners for "redefining what is possible in terms of athletic performance." As the sport looks ahead to another exciting year, athletes like Julien Alfred remain key figures in shaping its future.
Alfred named AW International Female Athlete of the Year
The accolades keep coming for Saint Lucia’s queen of sprinting, Julien Alfred with the announcement on Friday that she has been voted as the Athletics Weekly (AW) International Female Athlete of the Year for 2024.
Over an elite field including Belgium’s Nafi Thiam, The Netherlands’ Sifan Hassan, Kenya’s Ruth Chepngetich, Faith Kipyegon, and Beatrice Chebet, the USA’s Gabby Thomas and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Ukraine’s Yaroslava Mahuchikh, the 23-year-old Ciceron native won the vote of the fans of one of the world’s premier Athletics publications.
The University of Texas graduate started the year with 60m gold at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow and went on to win Olympic 100m gold and 200m silver in Paris in August as well as the Wanda Diamond League 100m crown.
Since her season ended in September, she has been recognised by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) for her exploits in Paris.
Alfred is also a finalist for the World Athletics Track Athlete of the Year, along with McLaughlin-Levrone. The Track Athlete of the Year will be announced at the World Athletics Gala next month.
Dora Henry takes charge of St Lucia Athletics with bold vision for development
Newly elected president of St Lucia Athletics, Dora Henry, has outlined an ambitious plan to build on the legacy established by Olympian Julien Alfred, whose historic achievements in 2024 have propelled St Lucia onto the global athletics stage. Henry was elected last weekend, succeeding Brendaline DesCartes, who stepped down due to other commitments.
Henry inherits an organization riding high on Alfred’s unprecedented success, which included winning the World Indoor 60m title in Glasgow, the Olympic 100m gold medal in Paris, and the Diamond League 100m title in Zurich. Alfred, the first St Lucian to achieve these feats, was honored with a EC$1 million award, a statue, and the renaming of St Lucia’s main highway in her name.
“Some of the short-term goals would be to develop more grassroots programmes, even athlete development and support,” Henry said. “I know I have a huge task in my hand because of the success of the Olympic medals, everybody thinks it is possible so creating the avenues for our athletes to develop via workshops, camps just to maintain the momentum and even reviewing our athletes’ performances to identify our strengths and areas where we could improve.”
From left to right: Back row: PRO Jonathan Emmanuel, Secretary Wayne Benti, Treasurer Cornelius Breen. Front Row: Floor Representatives- Lisa Joseph, Laricia Laurent, Asst. Secretary Cornelia Ann Shirley Lubin, 2nd Vice President - Patrick Mathurin, President - Dora Henry
Henry is focused on strengthening grassroots programs, enhancing elite athlete development, and ensuring that young athletes in schools are better integrated into the sport through community engagement and targeted initiatives.
“Again, a lot of community engagement, meet with our athletes, the young ones, develop programmes for them, promote athletics in our schools, launching tournaments. I have a lot to get done in the short term but taking things step by step, day by day,” she added.
A key challenge Henry aims to address is the lack of certified infrastructure and sufficient resources for athletes on the island. “Our infrastructure and resources, we don’t have the best; our main stadium is currently not certified and is not in the best state. However, we have to continue to conduct our assessment of our facilities and some of our equipment.”
Henry also plans to prioritize coaching education, an area she feels is critical for long-term athlete development. “As we speak, we do not have a large pool of qualified coaches. It has been my desire to push for the education of our coaches. It is our hope to push our coaches to educate themselves, get the training opportunities so they can do better with training our athletes. So, for sure education and training is top on our mandate.”
First Vice President Makeba Alcide
To achieve her goals, Henry is committed to collaborating with key stakeholders, including the government and local communities. “One of our top priorities is to ensure that we have those connections with the government of St Lucia and Minister of Youth Development and Sports. Early on in our term we will be having those meetings with key stakeholders to ensure we get all that we plan to get those opportunities for our young athletes.”
Henry believes the momentum generated by Alfred’s success provides an ideal foundation to implement these changes and raise the profile of athletics in St Lucia. With her leadership, she hopes to not only sustain but also expand the sport’s impact on the island and beyond.
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