Not too long ago, the athletics world was shaken by reports that Julien Alfred had suffered an injury that would sideline her from three Diamond League meets in August, Silesia, Lausanne, and Brussels.
The news, echoed by Diamond League officials, appeared to confirm the worst for fans eager to watch the St. Lucian sprinter in action.
However, these claims have now been dismissed as “fake news.” While some expected this would mean Alfred would still line up for the 100m dash in Silesia and the 200m in Lausanne, the reality is different.
Speaking to the St. Lucia Times, Alfred clarified that she will indeed miss the next two Diamond League events, but not because of injury. Instead, she is focusing her preparation on the upcoming Diamond League finals in Zurich and the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
“I’m fine and healthy,” she confirmed, adding that rest and fine-tuning are crucial to maintaining peak performance.
Although Alfred has dealt with physical and mental challenges in the past, including feeling heavy and mentally strained despite winning the 60m at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in Glasgow, she assured fans that she is currently in training and “working on things in preparation for the last few races.”
Her absence will be felt on the Wanda Diamond League circuit, where fans were eager to see her face off against Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson-Wooden, the world’s fastest woman over 100m in 2025.
Still, Alfred’s strategic break underlines the importance of recovery, something she understood well even before the 2024 Olympic Games.
