Saint Lucian sprint sensation Julien Alfred delivered a phenomenal performance at the London Diamond League, storming to victory in the women’s 200 meters with a time of 21.71 seconds. The blistering run not only earned her a commanding win but also set a new Saint Lucian national record, a meeting record, and the fastest time in the world this year.
Running into a slight headwind of -0.6 m/s, Alfred’s time marked a significant improvement on her previous best of 21.83 seconds, which she had set en route to her silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Her latest performance now places her among the top ten fastest women in the 200 metres in world athletics history — an extraordinary milestone for the 23-year-old athlete.
In what was just her second 200m appearance of the season, Alfred looked composed and powerful, pulling away from the field in the final stretch to seal a dominant victory. She finished well ahead of her training partner, British star Dina Asher-Smith, who clocked 22.25 seconds to place second. Fellow Briton Amy Hunt followed in third with a huge personal best of 22.31 seconds, while Ireland’s Rhasidat Adeleke secured fourth place with 22.52 seconds.
Alfred’s triumph comes just weeks after a rare defeat in the 100m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, where she was narrowly beaten by American sprinter Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. However, her remarkable rebound in London reasserts her form and ambition as she prepares to compete for both the 100m and 200m titles at the upcoming World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.
This performance not only strengthens her claim as one of the most dominant sprinters of her generation but also adds to her growing legacy as Saint Lucia’s greatest track athlete. With her name now etched deeper into the sport’s history books, Julien Alfred’s road to Tokyo appears paved with momentum and undeniable brilliance.
