Heartwarming scenes as Julien Alfred receives hero's welcome in St Lucia after Olympic gold

2 months ago 5

Julien Alfred returned to Saint Lucia after winning the island's first-ever gold medal at the Olympic Games
The 23-year-old received a warm welcome from thousands of fans who flocked to the streets to see their gold medallist
Alfred defeated world champion Sha'Carri Richardson to win gold in Paris, ending Jamaica's dominance

Julien Alfred returned to Saint Lucia more than a month after defeating Sha'Carri Richardson to win the women's 100m title at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The 23-year-old received a hero's welcome as she landed at the Hewanorra International Airport.

Government officials led the welcoming party before celebrations began for their first-ever Olympic gold medallist.

Julien Alfred has become the best female 100m sprinter and is Saint Lucia's hero

Thousands of fans lined up on the street to get a glimpse of the Olympic gold medallist. The cheers were defeating as she moved from street to street.

World champion Richardson was the favourite to win the race after the withdrawal of Jamaica's Shericka Jackson and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.

However, Alfred upset the American by winning her island's first-ever gold medal at the Olympic Games. She clocked 10.72 seconds to secure the biggest win of her career.

What Alfred said after returning to Saint Lucia

Speaking at the welcoming ceremony, Alfred said her success in Paris needed a lot of work.

“It was truly a rocky road. Many days I wanted to just give up, throw in the towel and just say, ‘I’m done’. But my village, those persons who were around me, I just want to say thank you for just everything you have done for me. I really appreciate it,” she said, per St Lucia Times.

Alfred's win ended Jamaica's 16-year dominance in the distance at the Olympics.

“I’m going to start crying. I’ve been trying to stay strong as much as possible. It means a lot to me, my coach, my country, which I’m sure is celebrating now,” Alfred said after winning gold via Olympics.com.