St. Lucian sprint sensation Julien Alfred has expressed happiness after meeting her childhood idol, the World Sprint legend Usain Bolt.
Speaking during the Press- conference ahead of Oslo Diamond League in Norway, the Olympic Gold medalist, Julien Alfred was full of smiles .
“I mean, he’s been my idol since I was younger. Always wanted to be just like him,” said the 24-year-old. “I went to school in Jamaica for three years, didn’t meet him, and I finally get a chance to meet him, so it’s such an honour.
In one of the interviews with The Telegraph Julien Alfred spoke about looking up to Usain Bolt as a young athlete. She shared that she cringes now when she thinks about it, but back then. She would watch all of his races and cheer for him every time because there were no athletes from her home country.
Alfred trains alongside top-tier talents including Ireland’s Rashida Adeleke and British sprint star Dina Asher-Smith. It’s a competitive setup, but one that continues to push her to new heights.
“Iron sharpens iron. And I think that’s what we really need, especially in the group that we have,” she said. “It’s been good. I have no complaints at all.”
Reflecting on a Breakthrough Year
Alfred’s rise has been steady and inspirational. Her 2024 season was one for the history books. It was highlighted by winning Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal. This was followed by a second medal, underscoring her emergence as a force on the global stage.
“Last year was such an eye-opening year for me,” she said. “From World Indoors to the Olympics. It definitely gave me more confidence. Right now, I’m just trying to enjoy the process and not put too much pressure on myself.”
Alfred is in Oslo for her first 100m race of the 2025 season. This marks her return to the distance since the Diamond League final in Brussels last September.
Meanwhile, Alfred is among the top contenders in women’s sprinting. She had already confirmed she will be targeting the sprint double at the World Championships later this year.
