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.

Omar McLeod ran the second-fastest time in the world this year to win the 110m hurdles at the FDK Games in the Netherlands where Sifan Hassan, running before her countrymen and women, broke the 10,000 world record.