Alfred Smashes Saint Lucia Record with 10.70s Zurich Win

Olympic champion Julien Alfred stormed to victory in the women’s 100m at the Weltklasse Zurich on Thursday, setting a new Saint Lucia national record of 10.70 seconds.

The Saint Lucian admitted that her start remains an area she is constantly working to improve, but said she has learned to trust her abilities as she continues to deal with the pressure and expectations that come with being an Olympic champion.

‘Running this fast is never easy, especially because getting out of the blocks is always a challenge for me,’ Alfred said.

‘Staying at the top is definitely a harder job than making it up there. When I became Olympic champion, it was a completely different state mentally and emotionally.’

She added that the support of her coach, agent and family has been crucial, particularly when expectations are high, while describing her record-breaking run as another important step for athletics in Saint Lucia.

‘We have a long way to go in Saint Lucia, but we are getting there,’ she said. ‘A national record puts Saint Lucia on the map.’