'I wasn't sure I'd make it through'- Junelle Bromfield opens up about heartbreak, loss & faith that kept her going

Olympic medalist Junelle Bromfield has shared her journey through personal tragedy and resilience, detailing the challenges and faith that fueled her rise to success on and off the track.

Olympic medalist and fiancée of Noah Lyles, Junelle Bromfield, has opened up about the personal challenges and tragedies that shaped her journey from uncertainty to Olympic stardom.

In a raw and heartfelt video shared recently, the Jamaican sprinter reflected on the struggles she endured, from family illness to loss, and how her faith ultimately guided her through her darkest moments.

Growing up in Jamaica, Bromfield faced obstacles that tested her resilience long before she pursued athletics as a career.

She described a childhood filled with both hardship and hope, explaining that these experiences built a foundation of inner strength and determination.

"So usually, I don't post videos like this because I usually don't like sharing emotional stuff about what's going on in my life," Bromfield shared on Instagram.

"I'm usually sensitive to that. When it comes to family affairs and all of those things, I get very sensitive. But a while ago, a video popped up on my phone. It was a video of me from back in 2020," she added.

The year 2020 was a particularly challenging time for Bromfield.

"At that time, I was struggling. My mom had just gotten cancer. I wasn’t making any senior teams, and honestly, life was just sad. It was COVID; it was very, very sad," she recalled.

To cope, Bromfield often created video clips for herself, reminders that things would eventually improve.

"In that video, I was telling myself... 'Life will get better. God has not forsaken you,'" she added, emphasizing how these words served as a lifeline during some of her toughest moments.

The journey, however, was far from easy as the young sprinter faced a devastating blow when she lost her brother in 2019, followed by the death of her mother in 2021. Yet amid the grief, Bromfield's career began to flourish.

"I lost my brother the year before [2020]. She [my mother] died in 2021," she noted somberly.

“But life also started to change because that’s three years. And in that time, I’m a two-time Olympian. I got an Olympic bronze medal. I got a world championship medal."

As she built on these achievements, her life also changed in ways she could never have predicted.

Bromfield’s recent engagement to world champion sprinter Noah Lyles and a move to a new neighborhood marked a period of personal and professional fulfillment she once doubted she would see.

Reflecting on her journey, she shared, "I’m about to move into a neighborhood I never dreamt I'd ever be able to move into, basically."

Despite the success, October remains a poignant time for Bromfield, as it holds reminders of her family's struggles.

"October… I hate October. But I feel as if this month has changed so much because the month that's usually my worst has become one of my most, what would you call it? It’s like a harvest season," she said.

For Bromfield, the difficult month has transformed into a season of gratitude, something she never thought possible.

Bromfield’s story is one of faith and resilience, a message she hopes can inspire others to hold on during tough times.

"If anybody out there is going through a rough part in your life and you feel like giving up, don't give up because you never know what God has in store for you," she encouraged.

"Just be patient. That’s it."

In 2024, Bromfield represented Jamaica at the Paris Olympics, competing in both the mixed 4x400m relay, where her team placed fifth, and the individual 400m event, where she was eliminated in the semifinals.

The Paris Olympics marked her second consecutive appearance, adding to a growing list of accolades that includes a 2022 World Indoor Championship gold, a 2022 outdoor World Championship silver and a bronze from the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.