There was jubilation in the Caribbean on Sunday after St Lucian sprinter Julian Alfred and Dominican triple jumper Thea LaFond secured their countries’ first ever medals, both golds.
From entering the Games as a little-known competitor, Julian Alfred demonstrated immense athletics prowess by winning the women’s 100-metre finals on Saturday, in 10.72sec.
The 23-year-old left her opponents and the world stunned and won the hearts of St Lucians as she outshone the US’s Sha’Carri Richardson, who captured silver.
“It feels amazing to be honest,” Alfred told reporters. “After waking up this morning I wrote it down: Julien Alfred, Olympic champion.
“So I think just believing in myself and trusting that I could do it is what really mattered to me. I’m going through the motions right now, it hasn’t sunk in yet. I had to go out there, trust myself, trust my coach and most importantly trust God,” said Alfred, according to the Caribbean Media Corporation news agency.
St Lucia’s prime minister, Philip J Pierre, posted on his Facebook page: “Today is great day for OECS [Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States] member states and the people of the Caribbean! In one day St Lucia and Dominica have created history by winning our first Olympic medal and bringing home the GOLD.
“Congratulations to Saint Lucia’s very own Julien Alfred for winning gold in the women’s 100m …”
Brilliant - supporters in Castries, St Lucia watching Julien Alfred win their first ever Olympic medal as she won the 100m #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/YNpBmn1eWn
— Declan Lee (@DeclanLeePR) August 3, 2024
The thrill of Alfred’s victory was consolidated by the Dominican female jumper Thea LaFond, who won on Saturday with a distance of 15.02 metres. “This is for you guys,” LaFond said at the Stade de France.
St Lucia is 238 square miles, with a population of about 180,000. The Commonwealth of Dominica is 290 square miles, with a population of 71,000.
Kenson Casimir, St Lucia’s minister of youth development and sports, said on Sunday he was delighted about Alfred’s medal, saying: “I think she has worked very hard; she has worked tirelessly.”
Casimir said Alfred and LaFond’s achievements show that there is a talent pool in the OECS that is available for scholarships and further development.
“Of course, we are a territory of very small islands with a small population, and in one night, we were able to capture two gold medals, and of course bring home a bronze in the decathlon, with Grenada achieving that feat and Dominica achieving the gold medal in the triple jump female event. So, it really shines a light from the rest of the world on what’s happening in the OECS and the talent pool that we have available for scholarships and for further development.”
He also congratulated Grenada’s Lindon Victor, who secured a bronze medal in decathlon, the country’s second-ever Olympic medal.
The achievements of Jamaican athletes were also celebrated even amid disappointment of the women’s 100-metre semi-finals withdrawal of the decorated sprinter Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce.
