Julien Alfred’s incredible exploits on the track so far this season has reaped rich benefits.

The 21-year-old Alfred, the 2023 NCAA Indoor 60m and 200m champion and the second-fastest woman of all time over the two distances, is to be awarded a diplomatic passport by the Government of St Lucia, who will also provide her with financial assistance after she graduates from the University of Texas later this year.

Alfred, the 2022 Commonwealth Games 100m silver medalist, enjoyed a record-breaking indoor season the likes of which has never been seen before.

She broke St Lucia’s national record five times in the 60m dash running times of 7.05, 7.02, 7.05, 7.0, 7.03, 6.97, 6.96 and 6.94.

Alfred, the 2022 NCAA 100m champion, was also the first NCAA female sprinter to break seven seconds in the 60m dash and did it three times during the season culminating in a time of 6.94, which is tied for second fastest all-time with the USA’s Aleia Hobbs.

Only Russia’s Irina Privalova’s world record of 6.92 is faster.

 The St Lucian star won her second gold medal at the NCAA National Indoors when she ran 22.01 to set a new NCAA and national record, lowering the 22.09 set by the University of Kentucky’s Abby Steiner in 2022. Only Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey has run faster indoors.

Her achievements were recognized by the United States Track and Field and Cross Country Association (USTFCCA) who named her the NCAA Indoor Female Athlete of the Year.

It is against this background that her country’s government made its announcement on Saturday.
“St Lucia’s global sprint star and Olympic hopeful Julien Alfred will receive a diplomatic passport and continued financial support from the government to ensure she continues to receive the best training opportunities after her graduation from the University of Texas this year,” the government said in a Facebook post on Saturday morning.

“St Lucia and the world continues to witness the valiant feats and the breaking of records by Julien Alfred.”

Alfred has continued her impressive form outdoors running a world-leading 21.91 in the 200m at the Tom Jones Memorial on April 14 and then a day later capped the meet off running 10.72 in the 100m aided by a wind of 2.4 m/s.