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The 2004 Olympic champion has explained why it would be wise for Julien Alfred to skip the 60m indoor races next season.
Justin Gatlin has advised Julien Alfred to drop the 60m indoor races next season and shift her focus to running outdoor races in preparation for the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan.
Julien Alfred is the defending indoor champion, having won the 60m title at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, Scotland this season. After her win, the St. Lucien athlete proceeded to claim top honours in the women’s 100m at the Paris Olympic Games.
Sha’Carri Richardson and Melissa Jefferson finished second and third respectively. The 23-year-old also claimed the silver medal in the women’s 200m at the Paris Olympic Games, finishing second behind Gabby Thomas.
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13:00 - 22.10.2024
'Undisputed' — Winfred Yavi posts cryptic message after 2024 Women’s Track Athlete of the Year snub
Kenya-born Olympic champion Winfred Yavi has shared a cryptic message after being left off the 2024 Women’s Track Athlete nominations.
Going into next season, the American sprint legend believes it would be pointless to have Julien Alfred compete in the indoor races again, noting that it was make have a long season and by the time the World Championships come, she would be exhausted from all the running.
“There is no reason for Julien to run the 60m, she has ascended to a different level and it is not just like she is a medallist at the Olympics, she is a gold medallist at the Olympics and I think she should focus on either the 100m or the 200m,” Justin Gatlin said on his Ready Set Go podcast.
“Running the indoors will always make your season longer, I’ve been there, and by the time you get to the Olympics or the World Championships outdoor, you will be tired because you’ve been sprinting and running since December. I don’t see why it will be beneficial for her but I ran my indoors and I won gold and I was cool. I don’t think it’s a necessary thing you consistently have to do and say that it is a badge of honour,” he added.
However, Justin Gatlin also pointed out that she is at liberty to decide whether she will defend her title, going down memory lane to the times he ran the indoor races and eventually won medals in the outdoor championships.
For instance, in 2012, Justin Gatlin competed at the World Indoor championships and claimed a gold medal and went on to win a bronze in the men’s 100m at the London Olympic Games. He also won gold at the 2003 World Indoor Championships.
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