NEW YORK, CMC – Spectacular St Lucian sprinter Julien Alfred says her seize of the Bowerman Award was only a reward for her triumphs over adversity in the previous few seasons on the American collegiate circuit.
On Thursday, the 22-year-old was honored with the distinguished award on the US Monitor and Subject and Cross Nation Coaches Affiliation’s (USTFCCCA) conference in Denver.
“It was fairly a journey for me, from my season ending in 2019 to COVID-19 spoiling the get together, which induced me to be caught within the US with my borders closed; I had nowhere to go,” Alfred mentioned.
“[In] 2022 and 2023, I noticed the sunshine that my Mother all the time spoke about. [I saw] the instances I all the time prayed for.”
She continued: “It means quite a bit to me, particularly seeing how far I’ve come and my progress; it’s only a reminder that God is actual.
“He’s all the time going to be there irrespective of how darkish it might appear … and there can be a lightweight on the finish. I really feel extraordinarily grateful to have Him in my life.”
Alfred loved an impressive 12 months for the College of Texas, the place she went unbeaten within the 100 meters whereas turning into the primary girl within the NCAA to dip under seven seconds in capturing the Huge 12 title.
She additionally set new indoor and out of doors data within the 100 and 200 meters en path to turning into the Huge 12 Convention Athlete-of-the-Yr and the USTFCCCA nationwide indoor and out of doors observe Athlete-of-the-Yr.
Alfred additionally made an enormous impression on the World Championships in Budapest, ending fourth within the 200m and fifth within the 100m, and believes the performances indicated future successes.
“It simply exhibits how a lot potential I’ve, and I hope I can get to that podium in the future,” she mentioned.
Alfred additionally made her mark within the Caribbean as a junior athlete, twice turning into her nation’s junior Sportswoman-of-the-Yr following successes on the Central American and Caribbean Video games and the Commonwealth Youth Video games.
And along with her newest achievement, Alfred believes St Lucia will obtain much more worldwide highlight.
“It means quite a bit to them as a result of if you point out Julien Alfred [of] St Lucia, not many individuals learn about St Lucia, so you will discover them going to go looking [and wondering] oh the place is St Lucia,” she mentioned.
“It should carry quite a lot of attraction to my nation. It’s a beautiful island, however [this achievement] will carry quite a lot of consideration to my nation.”
The Bowerman is the very best honor in United States collegiate observe and area.
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