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Saint Lucia speedster Julien Alfred has a different goal other than getting a revenge against Sha'Carri Richardson at the Brussels Diamond League.
Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred has revealed she's not gunning for a revenge against Sha'Carri Richardson at the Brussels Diamond League, rather on a mission to focus on herself.
The 23-year-old rose to the pinnacle of women's sprint when she blazed to Saint Lucia's first Olympic gold medal in Paris running a new personal best of 10.72s, thus stunning pre-championship favourite Richardson to the groundbreaking victory.
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However, in their first meet after Paris, the American speed queen got the better of her at the Zurich Diamond League, blazing past the fast-starting Alfred and Dina Asher-Smith to cross the finish line first in a blistering 10.84s. The newly crowned Olympic champion settled for second in 10.88s edging the British record holder to third in 10.89s.
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14:11 - 10.09.2024
Saint Lucia: Julien Alfred joins Sha'Carri Richardson in a prestigious league of national honours
Saint Lucia honoured Julien Alfred following her historic Olympic achievement in Paris.
Ahead of the highly anticipated clash in Brussels, Alfred took time to reflect on her iconic season, growing-up days, achievements, and the biggest inspirations in her career.
“When I was 14, I moved from Saint Lucia to Jamaica,” she said. “I left my mum and siblings behind. My dad died when I was 12. My mum had put a note in my suitcase that read ‘Follow your dream’.
“I’ve always wanted to be Usain Bolt, ever since I was little. He was more than my idol. It’s incredible what he has achieved in his career. Unfortunately, I have never met him. I also look up to Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce very much.”
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Speaking on her loss to Richardson in Zurich and plans to get it right in Brussels, Alfred said she's focused on herself and wants to end the season on a high.
“I don’t want to use the word revenge,” she said. “I never run against anyone, I do it for myself and just want to finish the season in style. For the same reason, I’m not focused on times either.”
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12:00 - 10.09.2024
Top 5 Athletics Power Couples: Sha'Carri Richardson and Christian Coleman, Noah Lyles and Junelle Bromfield make romantic list in 2024
These athletes and their partners are arguably the most famous and influential in the world of athletics in 2024, always making media headlines in whatever activities they carry out together.
Meanwhile, following her historic feat in Paris, the Saint Lucian government has declared September 27 as a national holiday that'll be called the 'Julien Alfred Day' and on September 24, there are plans for both a motorcade parade and a mural of herself outside her primary school.
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