Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred clinches Bronze at World Championships, ends 2025 track season due to injury

Saint Lucia: Julien Alfred, Saint Lucian’s Olympic star, ended her 2025 track season after winning bronze in the women’s 100 meter at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Sunday. The 24-year old sprinter suffered a grade one hamstring strain during her training for the final.

This news was shared by the Saint Lucia’s Athletics Association. Her agent, Henry Rolle, also affirmed that Alfred was instructed to withdraw from the women's 200m in order to avoid suffering another injury. The athlete currently holds the world’s fastest time this year in the 200m with a time of 21.71 seconds, but her team has decided to focus on recovery for the 2026 season.

The Saint Lucia Athletics Association (SLAA) said that this decision was made in conjunction with the medical team and her management. They explained that health and career are still the primary focus. The Association also thanks fans at home and abroad for their support and prayers for the athlete’s quick recovery.

Historic moment for Alfred and Saint Lucia

Alfred made history on September 14, when she won Saint Lucia’s first-ever World Athletics medal. In the women’s 100m final, she finished in a time of 10.84 seconds. American Melissa Jefferson-Wooden won the gold in a record breaking time of 10.61 seconds, while Jamaica’s  Tina Clayton took the silver in 10.76 seconds.

Before the final stage of the competition, Alfred dominated the heats and semifinals. She advanced as the fastest qualifier and then ran 10.93 seconds in the semifinal which secured her a spot in the medal race.

Alfred’s performance in Tokyo this season, has added another great achievement in her career, which also includes Olympic gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m at the Paris 2024 Games. After the race, the sprinter said that she was proud to bear the expectations of her country and proved that a small island of 180,000 people can do great things on the world stage.

Although her 200m campaign has ended, Alfred’s determination and consistency is still a source of inspiration for Saint Lucians. Fans now look forward to her return in 2026 from rehab and prepare for another year at the top of the world sprinting.