Paris Olympics 100m champion Julien Alfred has said she is not worried about her rivalry with Sha’Carri Richardson especially after her triumph in the French Capital.
Saint Lucia’s finest sprinter whose time of 10.72 seconds was also a national record added that she can’t afford to lose sleep against a single competitor but that she recognises it is her against the whole world.
The 23-year-old broke into tears after winning Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal for the Caribbean country, an achievement that saw the nation declare a national holiday to celebrate her heroics while a street was renamed after Alfred.
Quizzed on the burgeoning rivalry with Richardson, she said: “She’s (Sha’Carri Richardson) definitely not my only rival on track. They are all my rivals. I mean it’s not just one person. I’m not worried about one person whatsoever. It’s me against the entire world. Me, my coach and everybody else,”
After setting the standards in Paris, all eyes will definitely be on the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo where the world beaters will once again battle for records and silverware to fill their trophy cabinets.
Not Only will Alfred take to the field against Richardson but the likes of Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Shericka Jackson have a point to prove in the Japanese capital.
Alfred, the 200m Paris silver medalist, said the challenges she endured in her formative years toughened her and made her focus on what matters most, that is success on the track. “We all have our own journeys in life, our own struggles in life ..and there have been challenges, but I think they’ve all prepared me for that moment in Paris.”
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