'That Freaked Me Out' - Julien Alfred Opens Up on Pressure, Gold Medal Expectations, and Millrose Return

Julien Alfred opens up about the pressure and expectations she faced after her World Indoor and Olympic wins as she prepares for her Millrose Games return.

Reigning Olympic 100m champion and World Indoor 60m gold medalist Julien Alfred is set to make her return to The Armory, headlining a star-studded women's 60m field at the 118th Millrose Games on February 1, 2026.

The St. Lucian sprinter last competed at the prestigious New York City meet in 2024, where she blazed to victory in a meet-record time of 6.99 seconds.

That performance was a prelude to a historic season, as she went on to win the World Indoor title and later secured her nation's first-ever Olympic gold medal.

Julien Alfred, who boasts an incredible personal best of 6.94 seconds, making her the joint second-fastest woman in history over the distance, has not lost a 60m race since 2022.

She will face a formidable lineup, including 2019 200m World Champion Dina Asher-Smith of Great Britain (7.03 PB), American Aleia Hobbs, who shares the No. 2 all-time mark with Alfred at 6.94, and Jacious Sears (7.02 PB).

Meet organisers also announced that Devynne Charlton, the 60m hurdles world record holder, will compete in her signature event. The two-time World Indoor champion from the Bahamas famously lowered the world record twice in 2024, culminating in a stunning 7.65-second run in Glasgow.

In a recent interview, Alfred discussed her return to the indoor season, her goals, and the lessons learned from her professional career so far.

"I did maybe a few days in October, and I left practice for about two weeks to go to Germany and to also fulfil my duties as a tourism ambassador. I came back, and I started around November 9th or 10th. So it hasn't been a long time, maybe about a month," Julien Alfred said as per Citius Mag.

Julien Alfred: The Pressure Came After I Won World Indoors

For one of the world's premier sprinters, the path to glory has been paved with immense pressure, moments of profound self-doubt, and ultimately, triumphant release.

Despite a stellar 2024 season that saw her crowned both World Indoor and Olympic champion, the weight of expectation nearly became too much to bear.

The pressure began to mount significantly after a commanding victory in the 60m at the World Indoor Championships.

"I think the pressure really came about after I won World Indoors," she admitted. This newfound attention led her to take an extended break in late April and May to "dial back and get myself together mentally."

While she always places high demands on herself, the external expectations became a heavy burden. "Going into the Olympics, they're expecting me to go out there and deliver," she explained. "But when I entered 2024, there wasn't any pressure. If anything, it was on me."

A trip home after her World Indoor title only amplified the strain. A comment from her country's Minister of Sports, Kenson Casimir, particularly struck a nerve.

"He made a comment, 'so now we're expecting a gold medal at the Olympics.' And that freaked me out," she confessed.

"I was freaked out internally... It's like, now I have to go out there because now they expect me to deliver a gold medal."

Thankfully, her hard work paid off, and the expectation became a reality. The emotional aftermath of her Olympic gold medal win, captured in the Netflix documentary SPRINT, was a culmination of everything she had endured.

"There were so many things that I held inside that I released at the time," she shared. The tears were a release for the absence of her father, the disbelief of her achievement, and the memory of nearly giving up earlier in the year.

At her lowest point, the thought of quitting the sport entirely was very real. "Sometimes it means leaving the sport and literally going back home," she revealed.

"When you feel like you've given your all to something and, even in training, when training kicks my butt, it's like, I don't know what else to do."

It was a crucial intervention from her coach that kept her on track. He encouraged her to get herself together and return to training, even if it meant a break from competition. This perspective helped her reframe her mindset.

One thing is certain: she has no plans to return to the individual 400m, an event she endured out of trust for her coach.

"As much as I hated every single moment of it, including the training. But I did it," she stated firmly. "It's done now, and I hope I don't do it anymore... Sorry. No individual 400."

Even with an Olympic gold medal, the pressure has not vanished. As she looks toward the 2026 season, the challenge remains to manage expectations and continue performing at the highest level. "I think the pressure didn't stop there," she concluded.

After a breakout season, sprinter Julien Alfred found herself squarely in the spotlight, a position that brought with it immense pressure heading into 2025.

The St. Lucian athlete, who describes herself as shy and private, admitted that the constant media attention was a significant challenge.

To cope, she relied on her support system while working to mentally prepare herself behind the scenes. As she looks forward to 2026, Julien Alfred hopes to continue gaining the support from her family, training partners and coach.