By Ben McLeod
(Source: CNW)
CASTRIES, St. Lucia — Sprinting royalty has spoken, and the verdict is emphatic: Julien Alfred is the woman to beat in Tokyo. That’s the view of Justin Gatlin, the former Olympic and World Champion, who has thrown his support behind St. Lucia’s sprint sensation following her electrifying performances on the 2025 circuit.
Alfred, fresh off a stunning 21.71-second victory in the 200 meters at the London Diamond League—the fastest time in the world this year—has caught the attention of track and field’s elite. And few endorsements carry more weight than Gatlin’s.
“What we got in store”: Gatlin predicts faster times ahead
Gatlin, a seasoned veteran with Olympic gold and two World Championship titles to his name, believes Alfred is only getting started. With the World Athletics Championships set for September in Tokyo, Gatlin sees Alfred as the frontrunner for double gold in the 100m and 200m.
“Usually, when you hear about ninth all-time, fifth all-time, second, third all-time, those are usually run in championship settings,” Gatlin explained. “You’re usually giving your fastest effort for the most important race.”
“To be able to run that kind of time during the Diamond League tells you what we got in store coming up in the next couple races.”
Alfred’s 21.71 ranks her among the fastest women in history and cements her status as a serious contender. In the 100m, she trails only Melissa Jefferson-Wooden of the United States this year—a razor-thin margin that sets the stage for a potential Tokyo showdown.
From Paris podium to Tokyo target
Alfred’s 2024 Olympic campaign in Paris saw her clinch gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m, affirming her place among the world’s sprinting elite. Still only 24 years old, the St Lucian star continues to evolve—technically refined, mentally tough, and now armed with the confidence that comes from international dominance.
But behind her success, Gatlin says, is another driving force: her coach, Edrick “Flo” Floreal.
The Flo factor: Coaching calm into greatness
Gatlin credited Floreal’s deep psychological and emotional insight as critical to Alfred’s meteoric rise, describing him as a coach who masterfully balances intensity with empathy.
“Flo is that kind of coach; he’s going to get into your head, he’s going to talk to you,” Gatlin said. “You get an understanding of what kind of coach you’re dealing with; that creates an athlete like this. Like, she’s not even worried about times. They just clipping it off.”
According to Gatlin, Floreal’s ability to defuse pressure and prioritize effort over expectation has helped Alfred stay grounded and focused.
“He’s probably telling her, ‘Don’t worry about times. It’s all about effort … You come back in this warm-up area, you’re gonna get a nice hug, pat on the back; mission accomplished’!”
“That takes away a lot of pressure … A lot of athletes get down on themselves like, ‘man, that’s not the time I want to hit,’ but they don’t realise the master plan is always in the coach’s head. And that’s why they say, ‘Flo knows.’”
A champion’s confidence, a nation’s hope
With Gatlin’s public backing and Floreal’s guidance behind her, Julien Alfred is poised not only to represent her country with pride but to rewrite the global sprinting narrative. All eyes now turn to Tokyo, where Alfred will seek to turn potential into podiums—gold, to be precise.
