Basking in the glory associated with its first Olympic gold medal, St. Lucia’s government has plans to soon declare a national holiday in honor of Julien Alfred, 23, who triumphed in the women’s 100-meter race on Saturday.
Alfred defeated a star-studded field by a sizeable margin to put the Eastern Caribbean nation on the world map for reasons other than tourism and Nobel Peace prizes.
Seizing the moment as Alfred crossed the line way ahead of the pack that had included American favorite and World Champion Sha’carri Richardson, Prime Minister Phillip Pierre jumped on the national airwaves to announce that the heroine will be honored with a special day very soon.
“Everybody is asking me that. All I can say to them is there will be a holiday. We should call today Julien Alfred Day. While we rejoice, I want to send out a message to all the young people in the entire region, because whereas Saint Lucia won, the Caribbean won, CARICOM won so, I want to send out that message to the young people in the entire region. Right now, we have some issues. We need our young people to understand that with discipline, with commitment, with the necessary sacrifice plus some support, you can make it to the top,” he said as he watched her run 10.72 to win gold at the Stade de France.
Pierre was among thousands who watched the race on large outdoor television screens on Saturday.
Alfred was born in the Eastern Caribbean tourism paradise but had spent five years at the University of Texas where she had competed with amazing success as a student. But for those who were paying attention as global superstars like Shelly-Ann Fraser and Elaine Thompson fade away after glittering careers, Alfred should have been on their radar after she had won the World Athletics Indoor Championships at Eugene, OR in March and had run second in the 100 meters in a fraction of a second behind Richardson just weeks later.
Alfred would be also competing in the 200-meter sprints and will now emerge as a favorite as Jamaican superstar and 200 specialist Shericka Jackson has pulled out because of injury. Richardson did not qualify at the recent American trials.
Meanwhile, nearby Dominica is also basking in its own glory because triple jumper Thea Lafond Gadson also picked up gold for the nature island.
PM Roosevelt Skerrit told the newly minted champion that the government is working on a proper and fitting reward package for her.
“We celebrate with you and look forward to celebrating with you even more when you return home. Everyone in Dominica is ecstatic. We will share with you some of the things the government plans to do at the appropriate time,” he said.
A government statement noted that “Thea Lafond-Gadson’s remarkable accomplishment is a testament to her years of hard work, talent, and determination. We commend her for her unwavering dedication, perseverance, and relentless pursuit of excellence, which have propelled her to the highest level of success on the global stage. Her victory in Paris exemplifies the strength and resilient spirit of the Dominican people and we look forward to welcoming her home in a triumphant display of national pride and celebration.”
Thea,30, was born in Dominica but had moved with her parents to Maryland at age 7. She studied at the University of Maryland. She picked up the gold by leaping 49 feet 3¼ inches, putting Dominica on the world map like St. Lucia for reasons other than tourism.
