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Julien Alfred has explained why she was uncertain about competing at the Paris Olympic Games and how she managed to bounce back and take the win.
Julien Alfred has disclosed she had doubts about making it to the Paris Olympic Games due to mental health struggles earlier this year.
After the World Indoor Championships where she claimed the gold medal in the women’s 60m in a time of 6.98 seconds, Julien Alfred admitted that she felt a certain pressure to always win every race, something that was very draining on her end.
The reigning Olympic champion told BBC Sport that her country's people also had expectations that she would continue with the hot streak, forgetting that she was only human and would often make mistakes.
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Before the Olympic Games, Julien Alfred was doubtful about her fitness and making it to Paris was a miracle. She took some time off after the World Indoor Championships to focus on her physical and mental health and did not train for some time as other athletes were building up for the Olympic Games.
“There was, to be quite honest. However, my coach asked me whether I wanted to be an Olympic champion and I said yes even though I wasn’t sure whether I was fit enough to get to that point. After World Indoors, it was so hard for me to get back on the track, I wasn’t motivated like before and I felt a lot of pressure everywhere I had a chance to race because now, I think that St. Lucians were expecting a lot from me and I had to win every time I stepped on the track,” Julien Alfred said.
“I felt like there was this heavy weight on my shoulders that I couldn’t shake off and there was this race in Austin where I didn’t do well and I had a talk with my coach and agent where I felt like I wasn’t there anymore and I told my agent to cancel some of my meets.”
Going into the Olympic Games, Sha’Carri Richardson was a favourite to win the gold medal but Julien Alfred outsprinted her to take the top prize. Alfred clocked a stunning 10.72 seconds with Richardson coming in second in 10.87 seconds. Another American, Melissa Jefferson sealed the podium in 10.92 seconds.
After the Olympic Games, Julien Alfred finished second behind Sha’Carri Richardson at the Diamond League Meeting in Zurich. However, she bounced back at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels to take the top honours and end her season on a high.
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