Julien Alfred

In the wake of that momentous occasion, President of the St Lucia Athletics Association, Brendaline Descartes, has commended the sprinter for her outstanding achievement.

In her senior year at the University of Texas in Austin, Alfred, contributed to five NCAA titles for the Longhorns, securing victories in the 60- and 200-m at the NCAA indoor championships and the 100- and 200m outdoor crowns in the same year. She also played a crucial role in Texas winning the 4x100 relay at the Division 1 outdoor final, contributing to the women's team title.

She also became the first female athlete to break the seven-second barrier in the 60m dash in the NCAA, a feat she accomplished three times culminating in a lifetime best of 6.94, the second fastest time in history. She also ran the second fastest time over 200m indoors, clocking an incredible 22.01. Only Merlene Ottey, who ran 21.87 in 1993 has run faster.

Alfred's win, alongside Jamaica's Jaydon Hibbert who secured the men's award, marked a significant Caribbean sweep of the prestigious accolade.

Descartes, elected as the president of the St Lucia Athletics Association in January, expressed her pride in Alfred's accomplishment and highlighted the broader significance for the sport and the country.

"Well, for me as president, it means that one, that this sport is growing and there is an opportunity for others to go out there and to also shine, but even more so for the country as well," Descartes stated.

"It means that there are no limits really. So beyond your shores, you can go out there and be somebody. You can go out there and stand tall. You could go out there and basically get the world to look in your direction," she added, emphasizing the transformative power of athletics on the global stage.

Descartes praised Julien Alfred's discipline and highlighted the athlete's calm demeanor, noting that Alfred's achievements were a result of meticulous preparation and focused expectations over the years.

"You could see her growth and her outstanding season. It's a testament to her winning this specialist award. So I think overall as a country, I think we are all very pleased that she has won this award, and of course, we support her wholeheartedly."

On behalf of the Saint Lucia Athletic Association, the sporting community in Saint Lucia, and the entire island, Descartes extended congratulations to Alfred and expressed continued support for her future endeavors.

"So all the best to Julien. And of course, again, it is an encouragement to all of us that yes, you can become something as long as you put your mind to it and you keep working hard at it."

Julien Alfred's historic win not only brings pride to St Lucia but serves as an inspiration for aspiring athletes in the Caribbean, showcasing that with dedication and hard work, they too can make a significant impact on the international stage.

Julien Alfred, the young sprint sensation, generously gifted her gold-medal-winning shoes from the World Indoor 60m Championships in Glasgow.  On March 2, Alfred created history when she became the first St Lucian athlete to win a gold medal at a global championship after storming to victory in a world-leading time of 6.98s.

The SLOC, led by President Alfred Emmanuel, gratefully accepted the historic donation at Olympic House. In an Instagram post, they expressed their appreciation for Julien's gesture and announced plans for the shoes to be showcased in a memorabilia exhibition later in the year. These shoes, worn during Julien's triumphant sprint to victory, would now become a cherished artifact, joining the esteemed collection of more than a thousand pieces at the St Lucia Olympic Museum.

 “The (running spikes) are currently housed at our Olympic museum but the plan is later in the year, Olympic week, which would be in June, we will be having a public exhibition in the city of Castries so it will surely be out there for the public to see but if persons would want to have a close-up look at it they are welcome to visit our museum.

“The spikes will be part of a bigger exhibition in June but it’s part of the exhibits we have on display right now at the museum.”

President Emmanuel shared his excitement about the upcoming exhibition, scheduled to coincide with Olympic week in June. He emphasized the significance of displaying Julien's spikes alongside other iconic items from St Lucia's sporting history. From Dominic Johnson's bronze-medal-winning shoe to Levern Spencer's Gold Coast high jump shoes, each artifact representing a chapter in the nation's athletic journey.

Reflecting on Julien Alfred's remarkable achievement in Glasgow, President Emmanuel expressed pride and anticipation. "We would have been disappointed had she not crossed the line first," he remarked, echoing the sentiments of a nation eagerly awaiting her victory. Julien's success, he believed, held the power to inspire future generations of athletes and prompt policymakers to prioritize sports investment.

“I hope it can serve as a motivation for our athletes, especially knowing Julien’s history, where she came from, her dedication, the effort she put into the sport and now she is being reaping the rewards,” he remarked.

“We only hope that would serve as a motivation for her and motivation for policymakers of the country, the government, to invest more in sports and at the end of the day, the aim is to see how many more Julien Alfreds we can have in the not too distant future.”

 The 22-year-old sprint sensation made history on Saturday, securing the gold medal in the 60m dash and etching her name in St Lucian athletics lore.

Already recognized as the fastest women ever from St Lucia, Alfred's stellar performance in Glasgow elevated her status to unparalleled heights. Clocking a world-leading 6.98s, she held off formidable competitors Ewa Swoboda of Poland (7.00s) and Italy's Zaynab Dosso (7.05s) to clinch the coveted gold medal, marking the first time a St Lucian athlete has achieved such a feat on the global stage.

In the wake of this historic victory, St Lucia's Sports Minister, Kenson Casimir, expressed the government's eagerness to celebrate Julien Alfred's triumph.

Speaking to Sportsmax.TV, Minister Casimir outlined plans for a grand celebration but emphasized that the arrangements would hinge on Alfred's availability, considering her demanding athletic schedule.

“We have a very long season ahead of us, we would love to celebrate it with Julien but we are thinking about whether or not she comes home, that would be entirely up to her, her technical team, and her staff, coach and others," stated Minister Casimir.

The sports minister further conveyed the island's desire to demonstrate their pride and support for Alfred by parading her across the entire island. However, recognizing the athlete's significant goals and commitments, Casimir expressed the need to coordinate with Alfred's team to determine the feasibility of such a celebration.

“We would love to have her home to really parade her around the entire island, but we have big goals; she has big goals. Of course, I will be on the phone with her soon enough to find out what is possible and what’s not,” he added.

Alfred, 18, a sophomore at the University of Texas blazed to a fast 23.50 to win the 200m on Friday beating the likes of US collegiate star Twanisha Terry (23.55) and Nike athlete Teahna Daniels (23.97) in Section 1 of the 200m.

However, she was only just warming up.

On Saturday, in the preliminaries of the Women’s 60m dash, Alfred, who opened her indoor season with 7.18s in December 2019, clocked 7.13 to be the fastest into the finals. The time was a new personal best and St. Lucian national record.

She would go even faster in the finals, clocking 7.10 breaking her own PB and national record.  The time was also the seventh fastest performer in collegiate history and the fastest time ever recorded by a collegian in the month of January.

However, the time was only good enough for second as she was edged by Mikiah Brisco, who broke the tape in 7.08s.

Terry finished third in 7.15.

It was her second individual gold medal of the season-ending meet held in Albuquerque, New Mexico, after winning the 60m dash on Friday.

The 21-year-old Longhorn senior clocked 22.01 while holding off the challenge of favourite LSU’s Favour Ofili, who finished in 22.20. Autum Wilson was third in 22.45.

Aldred’s time was a personal best, national record, championship record, meet and facility record as well as a world lead. Only Merlene Ottey, who ran 21.87 in Italy 30 years ago, has run faster.

The time also shattered the 22.09 run by Kentucky’s Abby Steiner just last year.

It was the perfect ending for Alfred, who ran unbeaten over 60m and clocked three times under seven seconds during the season. She lost only once over 200m.

On Friday, Alfred won the 60m dash in 6.94, a new collegiate, meet and championship record as well as a national record.

 It was the third time this season she covered the distance in under seven seconds and is now the fastest woman over the distance from the Caribbean surpassing Ottey’s 6.96.

The 21-year-old Alfred, in her final indoor season for the University of Texas ran 6.94 to win the 60m dash and took 200m gold in 22.01 at the NCAA Division 1 National Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, Texas on March 11.

Both times are the second fastest all-time behind Irina Privalova’s 6.92 and Merlene Ottey’s 21.87, respectively set 30 years ago.

The only woman to break seven seconds at the collegiate level, Alfred’s accomplished that feat three times during the season and even as her collegiate career comes to a close, she plans to continue competing indoors because she wants the 60m world record.

“I do want to go after that world record and I know some day I will get it,” she said while speaking with FloTrack, even while revealing that she did not think about the world record much prior to the NCAA finals because it induces her anxiety.

Setting two world-leading times and the second-fastest times in the indoor sprints on the same day, she said, has boosted her confidence, especially the 200m, an event that she really dislikes.

“I hate it. I am never going to like the 200m but this has really opened up my eyes as to what I can really do. This builds my confidence a bit more and I am looking forward to seeing what I can do at the international level. This is my last indoor competing for Texas so I am actually looking forward to going against the pros, competing at the professional level and see what I can do.”

The University of Texas Senior ran a world-leading 7.05 in the preliminary round before storming to the new record and personal best in the final.

The final was barely a contest as Alfred, the 2022 NCAA 100m champion, was miles ahead of Texas teammate Rhasidat Adekele, who was runner up in 7.20 just edging out Maboundou Kone, who ran 7.21 for third.

Alfred now owns the three fastest times over 60m ran by any woman in NCAA history at 7.02, 7.04 and 7.05 seconds, respectively

Saturday’s victory was a continuation of her impressive start to the season.

She won her season-opener event in the 300m dash at the Commonwealth College Opener with a time of 37.36. She went on to win the 200m at the Cardinal Classic with a time of 23.10 and helped Texas run the 13-fastest 4x400 time in UT history with a time of 3:30.55.

The 21-year-old Alfred re-wrote both the collegiate and Texas record books this season after being crowned the indoor sprints double champion with the No. 2 world all-time performances in both the 60m and the 200m.

The St. Lucia native lowered her 60m collegiate record six times this season including times of 7.05, 7.02, 7.00, 6.97, 6.95 and finally 6.94. She's the only collegian to ever run under seven seconds and did it three times this season. She followed up with a collegiate-record in the 200 with a time of 22.01 that also serves as the UT record.

Her Longhorn teammate Yusuf Bizimana was the SEC Male Track athlete after winning the 800m crown at the NCAA Championships with his personal-best time of 1:46.02.

Meanwhile, in heat two, Jamaica's Niesha Burgher finished seventh in 22.64 seconds and received a penalty for a first-lane infringement. Adaejah Hodge of the British Virgin Islands finished eighth heat one, clocking 22.70 seconds. In heat three, Jamaica's Lanae-Tava Thomas finished seventh in 22.77 seconds.

Despite their incredible efforts, Burgher, Hodge, and Thomas did not make it to the finals ranking 12th,17th,18th respectively.

The women's 200m final is scheduled for August 6, with Julien Alfred representing the Caribbean and looking to add another Olympic medal to her haul. Fans and supporters eagerly await what promises to be an exciting race.

Jamaica’s Kemba Nelson of Oregon and Alfred’s Texas teammate Kevona Davis also qualified for Eugene with times of 10.85 and 11.04, both also wind-aided, respectively.

Davis will also contest the 200m in Eugene after running 22.49 to qualify second fastest in the West Region behind teammate Kynnedy Flannel (22.40).

Jamaicans Stacey Ann Williams of Texas (50.66) and Charokee Young of Texas A&M (50.80) were the fastest qualifiers in the Women’s 400m.

Barbados' Jonathan Jones of Texas and Jamaica's Jevaughn Powell of UTEP ran 44.85 and 44.87, respectively, to be the top two qualifiers in the Men's equivalent. 44.87 is a new personal best for Powell, the former Edwin Allen and Kingston College standout.

Another Bajan, Rivaldo Leacock of New Mexico, ran a new personal best 49.63 to advance in the Men's 400m hurdles.

Texas Tech's Demisha Roswell was the second fastest qualifier in the Women's 100m hurdles with 12.78 while Baylor’s Ackera Nugent ran 12.93 to also advance.

Former Hydel High and current Texas A&M star Lamara Distin and Texas' Trinidadian Olympian Tyra Gittens both cleared 1.81m to progress in the Women's high jump while Gittens also produced 6.40 to advance in the long jump. Former Herbert Morrison athlete Daniella Anglin, now a freshman at South Dakota, also cleared 1.81m to advance in the high jump. 

 Bahamian Kansas State senior Kyle Alcine achieved a personal best 2.15m to advance in the Men's high jump.

 St Lucia's journey in the Olympics began with the establishment of their National Olympic Committee on January 22, 1987, which received official recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in September 1993. Since their debut in Atlanta in 1996, St Lucia has competed in every subsequent Olympic Games, displaying their emerging talents on the global stage.

 The island's first Olympic team in 1996 consisted of six members who competed in athletics and sailing. The athletics team included Michelle Baptiste, Ivan Jn. Marie, Maxwell Seales, Dominic Johnson, and Maxime Charlemagne, with Andrew Magloire serving as manager/coach. Michael Greene led the sailing team, with Michael Gordon as manager/coach and Abigail Williams as chef de mission.

 Greene, the oldest athlete at 42, made history as the first to represent St Lucia in the men's laser event on July 23. Meanwhile, 18-year-old Michelle Baptiste, the lone female athlete and flag bearer, competed in the 100m and long jump, representing her country with pride despite not advancing to the finals.

Levern Spencer

 St Lucia has continued to send athletes to the Olympics, with notable performances along the way. In the 2012 London Olympics, a team of four competed in athletics, sailing, and swimming. The 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics saw a team of five participate in these same sports. High jumper Levern Spencer stands out as a remarkable athlete for the island nation. A four-time Olympian, Spencer came tantalizingly close to winning the country's first medal in 2016, finishing sixth in the high jump with a clearance of 1.93m.

 As the Paris 2024 Olympics draw near, St Lucia's hopes are pinned on a talented team led by World Indoor champion for the women’s 60m dash, Julien Alfred. Alfred's speed and determination make her a strong contender for a medal. Michael Joseph will compete in the men’s 400m, sailor Luc Chevrier will represent the island in the men’s dinghy, and swimmer Jayhan Odlum Smith will contest the men’s 100m freestyle. Leading Team St Lucia as Chef De Mission is former national athlete Helena Renee-Emmanuel.

 The upcoming 2024 Paris Olympic Games provide Saint Lucia with another chance to shine on the world stage. With a talented and determined team, the island nation is poised to make history. As St Lucia aims for its first Olympic medal, the excitement and anticipation build, offering a glimmer of hope for a historic achievement in Paris.

The 22-year-old Alfred, in her senior year, contributed to five NCAA titles for the Longhorns, becoming the first female athlete to win the 60- and 200-metre indoor championships, along with the 100- and 200-metre outdoor crowns in the same year. She was also part of Texas winning the 4x100 relay at the Division 1 outdoor final, helping the Longhorns secure the women’s team title.

Alfred, who has since signed a professional contract with PUMA, set collegiate indoor records in the 60 at 6.94 and 200 by clocking 22.01, both the second-fastest times in history, at the Division 1 finals in Albuquerque. She also produced the fastest all-conditions outdoor marks in NCAA history, with wind-aided efforts of 10.72 in the 100 and 21.73 in the 200, in addition to contributing to the collegiate record of 41.55 in the 4x100, all at the NCAA championship on her home track at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin.

Minister Casimir, in an exclusive interview with Sportsmax.TV, commended Julien Alfred's dedication and hard work throughout her athletic journey, acknowledging her commitment to training and improvement from her days at the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School to high school in Jamaica and finally to the University of Texas.

“The government of St Lucia is exceedingly happy with the achievement of Julien Alfred. Of course, it came through a lot of hard work on her part. I want to, as the Minister of Sports for St Lucia, congratulate Julien and her family first and foremost.

"We've known of her commitment towards training and improvement from a very young age, from her alma mater at the Leon Hess Comprehensive Secondary School all the way to Jamaica and over to Texas. And so we're very proud that she has made those strides as she continues to make St. Lucia proud," Minister Casimir remarked.

Highlighting the government's commitment to supporting its athletes, Minister Casimir outlined the specific measures taken to aid Julien Alfred in her athletic endeavors. He emphasized the groundbreaking decision to allocate a line item in the national budget to ensure comprehensive support for the athlete.

"The government of the St. Lucia Labour Party has ensured that we put our athletes first. And of course, this year, for our last budget, we took the position that we, for the first time in our history, have a line item specifically to ensure that an athlete was furnished with all that she needed to flourish."

Minister Casimir detailed the crucial steps taken to provide Julien Alfred with the necessary resources, including a diplomatic passport, a first in the nation's history. The minister underscored the significance of this decision, recognizing the challenges international athletes face in terms of travel and logistics.

"Never in our history was that done before, simply because we understood that an individual was going to do two-a-day training, calorie restriction in terms of her nutrition, mental training, and doing all of that, making all the sacrifices for her country, it would not be right for an international athlete of that level to have to stand up on the line to either get home or go anywhere in the world."

The government's support extended beyond paperwork, as Minister Casimir detailed financial assistance for psychosocial support, physiotherapy, and mental well-being. The comprehensive backing aimed to ease Julien Alfred's transition from a collegiate athlete to a professional.

"I, being a former athlete, would understand that there are certain things that you will just not be able to afford unless you get the support, especially when she was transitioning from a collegiate athlete over to a pro athlete. And so we made those things available to her readily."

Minister Casimir concluded with optimism for the future, stating, "We've seen the fruits of that and we are very proud of what she achieves and we looking forward to 2024 and, of course, we are just expecting bigger and better things from Julien Alfred."

Alfred represented St Lucia at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August. In her first-ever World Championship 100m finals, Alfred finished fifth in a time of 10.93. She was fourth in the 200m final in a handsome time of 22.05.

Alfred won a silver medal in the 100m at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England.

Alfred's track record is nothing short of astounding. With her electrifying speed, she clinched the NCAA Indoor 60m title and went on to secure the Outdoor 100m and 200m titles.

Her dominance was underscored by an undefeated streak in the 100m throughout the season, culminating in a dazzling performance that concluded in June. In addition, Alfred etched her name in history by recording the second fastest time ever over 200m indoors, clocking an astonishing 22.01 seconds, trailing only behind Merlene Ottey's legendary 21.87 set in 1993.

Her remarkable achievements have not gone unnoticed, as Alfred recently transitioned to the professional ranks, signing with Puma. The stage is set for her to compete in the 100m and 200m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest from August 19-27, where she aims to continue her meteoric rise.

Beyond her prowess on the track, Alfred's commitment to academic excellence shines brightly. The graduate student in youth and community studies at the University of Texas boasts an impressive 3.34 GPA and a notable 71 per cent participation rate. Her dedication to both her athletic and academic pursuits culminated in her being named the Big 12 Female Athlete of the Year, a well-deserved honor after her triumph in clinching five national titles and aiding UT in securing the outdoor NCAA Championship. Her achievements have also been acknowledged by the USTFCCA, which bestowed upon her the prestigious National Scholar-Athlete of the Year accolade.

In July, Alfred's exceptional accomplishments were further highlighted as she was crowned the 2023 USTFCCCA's Division I Outdoor Track and Field Women's Scholar-Athlete of the Year. Her legacy as a four-time Big 12 Performer of the Year and a 12-time Big 12 individual champion underscores her consistent excellence and unwavering commitment to her sport.

The Big 12 Conference's Scholar-Athlete of the Year Award, established in 2012-13, serves as a testament to the intersection of athletic achievement and academic excellence. The honor recognizes individuals who embody exceptional commitment both on the field and in the classroom. Alfred's achievement underscores her remarkable journey, as she met the criteria of a junior or senior in athletic and academic standing, with a cumulative GPA of 3.20 or higher, active participation in at least 20% of the team's scheduled contests, and a minimum of one year in residence at the institution.

The 23-year-old recovered from a less than ideal start with a strong finish to cross the line second in 22.08.

Gold went to American Gabby Thomas who ran 21.82 while another American, Brittany Brown, took bronze in 22.20.

Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith and Daryll Neita ran 22.22 and 22.23, respectively for fourth and fifth while Nigeria’s Favour Ofili ran 22.24 in sixth.

American McKenzie Long (22.42) and Ivory Coast’s Jessika Gbai (22.70) rounded out the top eight.

The 22-year-old became St. Lucia’s first ever global medallist with a joint world-leading 6.98 ahead of main rival Ewa Swoboda of Poland (7.00) and Italy’s Zaynab Dosso (7.05).

In a post-race interview, the 2023 Bowerman Award winner said she said she has long dreamt about being her country’s first ever global medallist.

“I’ve been dreaming about this for such a long time to come out here and give my country their first ever medal and I feel so happy and overwhelmed,” she said.

“I had so many feelings going through my mind and body. We had to wait such a long time to see our names come up and I just kept wondering is it me? Is it Swoboda? As soon as my name came up I just felt overwhelmed and happy knowing I can finally call myself a world champion,” Alfred added.

Alfred entered into the final as the second fastest qualifier with a time of 7.03 and watched Swoboda light up the track on her war to a world leading 6.98 to win her semi-final.

The former St. Catherine High and University of Texas standout was asked about whether or not Swoboda’s semi-final performance was on her mind going into the much-anticipated final.

“I think I’ve grown a little bit more compared to last year at the World Championships. Even if somebody runs faster than me in the semis, just don’t worry about it because there’s always a final,” she said.

As far as her tactical approach went, Alfred’s goal was to get a good start and maintain her composure through the line.

“Just get out! I think my semi-final wasn’t executed in the right way. I know my top end speed was there but I know that Swoboda has a great start so my main focus was just to get out and hang on and continue to push to the line,” added the former Texas standout.

With that said, “no,” was her response to a question about whether or not she executed her race perfectly.

“My start was there but I felt like the ending could’ve been much better had I just stayed relaxed and not pressured myself to go to the line,” she added.

Alfred's goal now shifts to some outdoor success at the Paris Olympics.

"Definitely! One step at a time, one race at a time and just practicing hard to execute when the time comes," she said.

Jamaica's Kevona Davis, also of Texas, was second in 23.57 while their teammate Lanae Thomas ran 23.65 for third.

The time was also a new facility record for the St. Lucian who is coming off a phenomenal 2022 season in which she won 100m titles at the Caribbean Games and NCAA Championships.

She also took 100m silver at the Commonwealth Games and became the NCAA record holder in the indoor 60m.

Among the highly anticipated events is the men's 110m hurdles, featuring Olympic champion Hansle Parchment and Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell. They will be joined by standout American hurdler Daniel Roberts, promising a thrilling battle over the barriers.

In addition to the hurdles spectacle, the sprint events will showcase talents such as recently crowned World Indoor 60m champion Julien Alfred, making her return to Jamaica after her high school years. Joining her are international sensations like Great Britain's Dina Asher Smith and two-time world champion Abby Steiner, ensuring top-class competition on the track.

The men’s sprints is promising to equally captivating with Zharnel Hughes, Marvin Bracy, Trayvon Brommel, Abdul Hakim Sani-Brown and Fred Kerley confirmed for the meet.

The 400m races will see world championship gold medalist Alexis Holmes taking on Jamaican quarter-milers Charokee Young and Stacey-Ann Williams in the one-lap sprint, while Commonwealth Games medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith leads the men's charge.

Two-time world championship 400m hurdles bronze medallist Rushell Clayton will go to head to head with the outstanding Shamier Little while Pan American champion Jaheel Hyde will take on World Championship bronze medalist Kyron McMaster over the 400m hurdles.

Field events will be equally captivating, with Jamaican prodigy Jaydon Hibbert and Donald Scott confirmed for the triple jump. Two-time world championship silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts will clash with 2024 World Indoor Champion Thea Lafond of Dominica in the women's event.

Fedrick Dacres, the 2019 World Championship silver medalist, will add excitement to the men's discus event.

Ludlow Watts, chairman of the local organizing committee, emphasized the significance of the JAI in showcasing international talent in Jamaica. 

“Those who might have thought that the days of staging of international events by the JAAA are over you will now know we jus’ a come,” said Ludlow Watts, who is chairman of the local organizing committee. “JAI will feature 14 international events; 10 running events and four field events. The international segment will be held between 7:30 and 9:30 pm. There will also be a developmental segment between 6 and 6:30 pm. That segment is to provide opportunity for those who did not get into the main event.

"We want every Jamaican to be in the stadium. We would like a full cheering stadium."

Ticket prices have been designed to ensure that the National Stadium will be filled to capacity for the meet. As such finish-line tickets for the Grand Stand will be sold for JMD$3000 with seats in all other sections of the stand fetching a price of JMD$2500. The Bleacher seats will be free.

Tickets for the event will be available online from April 22 to May 4 and can be purchased at the Jamaica Pegasus in Kingston and the National Stadium Ticket Office from May 8 to 11.

The 21-year-old St. Lucian, who won the NCAA Indoor 60m and 200m double earlier this season, sped to a meet record and collegiate leading time of 10.83 to comfortably be the fastest qualifier to the Championships set for June 7-10 on her home track at the University of Texas's Mike A. Myers stadium.

Her Jamaican teammate, Kevona Davis, also made it through the preliminaries with an 11.06 effort.

The Texas duo also made it through in the 200m with Davis running a season’s best 22.33 and Alfred running 22.45.

Arkansas’s Ackera Nugent, a two-time NCAA Indoor Champion, ran 12.69, a new meet record to advance fastest in the sprint hurdles. Her countrywoman, Texas Tech’s Demisha Roswell, also made it through with a season’s best 12.77.

Arkansas’s Nickisha Price and Joanne Reid both advanced in the one-lap event with personal best times of 50.49 and 51.49, respectively.

In the field, defending NCAA high jump champion, Lamara Distin of Texas A&M, easily cleared 1.85m to secure her opportunity to defend her title. Texas’s Ackelia Smith, world leader in the long jump, also booked her spot in the field for the triple jump with 13.96m.

Meanwhile, at the East Regionals in Jacksonville, Ohio State’s Yanique Dayle and Kentucky’s Anthaya Charlton made it through in the 100m.

Dayle, the Jamaican Senior, produced a big personal best 11.05 while Charlton, the Bahamian Freshman, produced 11.08 (2.3 m/s) to advance.

Dayle also advanced in the 200m with a season’s best 22.58 while LSU’s Brianna Lyston also made it through with 22.92.

In the field, Georgia’s Vincentian Junior, Mikeisha Welcome, jumped 13.50m to make it through in the triple jump.

The World Championship 100m bronze medallist from Eugene ran an easy 10.99 to win heat two and advance.

Antigua & Barbuda’s Joella Lloyd was next up, finishing third in heat three in 11.42 to advance. In heat four, Guyana’s Jasmine Abrams almost perfectly matched Lloyd, running 11.42 for third to advance.

Trinidad & Tobago’s Michelle Lee-Ahye and the Bahamas’ Tynia Gaither ran 11.14 and 11.19, respectively, to finish first and second in heat five and progress.

Jamaica’s Natalliah Whyte ran 11.31 to win heat six and advance while St. Lucia’s Julien Alfred (11.24) and Jamaica’s Remona Burchell (11.46) were the top two finishers in the seventh and final heat.

On the Men’s side, Nadale Buntin of St. Kitts & Nevis will be in the semis after finishing third in the first heat with a season’s best 10.37.

Rikkoi Brathwaite of the British Virgin Islands finished second in heat three in 10.42 to advance.

Next up was Jamaican 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m champion Kemar Bailey-Cole who ran 10.15 to finish second in heat four to progress.

Heat six saw Trinidad & Tobago’s Kion Benjamin produce 10.34 for second to move on while Jamaica’s Conroy Jones (10.28) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Eric Harrison Jr (10.37) both advanced from the eighth heat.

The tenth and final heat saw three Caribbean men advance. Trinidad & Tobago's Jerod Elcock won the heat in 10.26 while Guyana's Emmanuel Archibald (10.28) and St. Lucia's Stephan Charles (10.29) finished second and third, respectively.

Jamaican World Championship finalist Natoya Goule is now a Commonwealth Games finalist as well after running 1:58.39 to advance to the final as the fastest qualifier.

In the field, Jamaica’s Danniel Thomas-Dodd and Lloydricia Cameron both advanced to the final of the Women’s shot put after throws of 18.42m and 16.61m, respectively. Thomas-Dodd’s distance was the farthest in qualifying.

The Caribbean will be well represented in the final of the Men’s long jump as The Bahamas’ Laquan Nairn (7.90m), Jamaica’s Shawn-D Thompson (7.85m), Guyana’s Emmanuel Archibald (7.83m), Dominica’s Tristan James (7.65m) and Trinidad & Tobago’s Anduelle Wright (7.58m) will all be present.

Jamaica’s Traves Smikle (64.90m) and Roje Stona (58.35m) will both be in the final of the Men’s discus throw alongside Grenada’s Josh Boateng (56.51m).

In fact, Richards, while sharing his excitement about the athletes' achievements, believes their historic feats are something that the entire Caribbean should be proud of, especially given the fact that both are from tiny islands with a combined population of 250,000.

“We all should be proud, and I feel like I am them [athletes] on the podium too, because you can feel it [the pride] when they hold their hearts. This is just a special time, and you have to big them up because it’s huge, especially coming from small territories as we do at times, and being able to make an impact in the world, and you have the world media saying beautiful things about you; there is no better feeling,” Richards said on the Good Morning Jojo sports show.

Alfred, 23, won gold in the women’s 100m in 10.72s, beating American Sha’Carri Richardson, the reigning World Champion, who was heavily favoured to take the race. The feat delivered St. Lucia’s first ever Olympic medal, before Alfred added another when she placed second in the 200m in 22.08s

Prior to Alfred's feat, LaFond again etched her name in history books for Dominica when she won triple jump gold with a leap of 15.02m. That was her country's first ever Olympic Games medal.

The accomplishments of both Alfred and LaFond followed their exploits at the World Athletics Indoor Championships earlier this year, where they also won their respective events.