As the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games approach, Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred, a 21-year-old sprinter, is setting her sights on making history for her country. With two previous gold medalists from Saint Lucia having left their mark on the Pan American Games, Alfred hopes to join their ranks and elevate her nation’s standing in athletics even further.
A Glimpse at Saint Lucia’s Pan American Games History
Since joining the Pan American Games in 1995, Saint Lucia has secured four medals in total, all in Athletics. Dominic Johnson initiated this trend in 2003, obtaining a bronze in men’s pole vault at Santo Domingo. Levern Spencer then made her mark, winning a bronze in women’s high jump at Rio 2007, and later securing gold at both Toronto 2015 and Lima 2019.
Alfred is eager to follow in their footsteps and take her place among Saint Lucia’s Pan American Games legends.
Julien Alfred: A Rising Star in Athletics
Julien Alfred has already made waves in the world of athletics. With a 22.01-second time in the indoor 200m event, she ranks as the second fastest woman in history in that category, just behind Jamaica’s Merlene Ottey. Alfred also broke the seven-second barrier in the 60m dash, setting a new NCAA record and winning her fourth collegiate title.
Alfred’s successful track record includes a gold medal in the women’s 100m at the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games and a silver at the 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. More recently, she won silver at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and gold at the inaugural Caribbean Games in Guadeloupe. Her impressive 100m time of 11.07 seconds would have secured her first place at the Lima 2019 Pan American Games, outperforming Jamaica’s Elaine Thompson.
Preparing for Santiago 2023: High Hopes for Julien Alfred and Saint Lucia
As Julien Alfred prepares to compete in her first Pan American Games, she aims to make her country proud by dominating the women’s 100m or 200m events—or possibly both. By doing so, she hopes to hear Saint Lucia’s national anthem resonate throughout Chile’s National Stadium, signaling her victory and her country’s continued success in the realm of athletics.
As the Santiago 2023 Pan American Games draw near, anticipation builds for Alfred’s performance. Both she and Saint Lucia are eager for her to join the ranks of Johnson and Spencer, solidifying her place in the nation’s athletic history on the continent’s most prestigious stage.
