It was a night to remember when Olympic Champion Julien Alfred paid a visit to Highgate Harriers to meet the club’s young athletes. The 24-year-old sprinting superstar was in London in her role as Tourism Ambassador for her home country of Saint Lucia, but took time out to come to the Parliament Hill Track on a club training night.
Passionate about inspiring the next generation, Julien answered lots of questions from athletes, parents and coaches, oversaw training and posed for many, many photos, which you can find and download on the Highgate Harriers Flickr account.
Asked what she enjoys the most about the sport, her answer was simple, “I love winning”. Not surprising, given her impressive medal haul since coming onto the world stage two years ago, which includes 100m Gold and 200m Silver at the Paris Olympics in 2024. She also spoke movingly about the death of her father when she was 12, after which she couldn’t bring herself to run for many months. Driven by her faith and supported by a close network of family, friends and coaches, she slowly rediscovered the joys of running. Julien paid tribute to the many parents supporting their children week after week to follow their dreams.
Looking ahead to 2026, Julien, who is recovering from injury, hopes to return to the UK for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. When she does, a lot of Highgate Harriers will recall one dark November evening when her star power lit up the track.
