Saint Lucia: Olympic Champion Julien Alfred receives grand welcome, EC$1M reward for historic gold

The Olympic Champion of Saint Lucia, Julien Alfred, received a heroic welcome which was marked by a grand parade upon her return to the island after winning the country’s first ever gold medal at the prestigious Paris Olympics 2024.

In recognition of her historic achievement, Prime Minister Philip J Pierre declared September 27 as Julien Alfred Day, marking a national holiday for the country.

In addition, a monument will be constructed in her honour at the new Cul de Sac Roundabout. Alfred will also receive a government gift of EC$1 million, cash award of EC$75,000 from the Olympic committee, a plot of land of her choice, measuring 10,720 square feet.

Furthermore, Julien Alfred's commemorative stamp and commemorative exercise book featuring photos of the Olympic champion will be released, cementing her place in the nation’s history. 

Julien Alfred, born on June 10, 2001, in the southern Castries community of Ciceron, has quickly become one of the most celebrated athletes in the world.

At just 23 years old, she made history for her native Saint Lucia by winning the gold medal in the women’s 100 metres at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. Her blazing time was 10.72 seconds. 

Several other corporate companies in Saint Lucia are offering various amenities to her, with M & C Group of companies offering $30,000 to the Julien Alfred Foundation, Massy Stores Saint Lucia providing $ 30,000: $20 000 to Julien Alfred and $10 000 towards the Julien Alfred, Courts UNICOMER offering outfitting of a gym to the tune of $30,000, Chreiki and Sons rewarding $50,000, The Landings Resort and Spa pledged an annual contribution of $10 000 and SOL offered five years worth of products to Julien After and family.

Apart from this, the athlete was also announced as the official Tourism Ambassador for Saint Lucia by the Tourism Authority in a brief ceremony on Wednesday. 

The athlete felt proud of her achievements and the rewards provided by the Saint Lucian government and she extended her profound gratitude to everyone for the utmost support throughout the difficult journey.