By Ben McLeod (CNW)- GROS ISLET, St. Lucia — With Olympic triumph behind her and recovery complete, Julien Alfred is no longer looking back. Instead, the Saint Lucian sprint star is training her attention on one of track and field’s most enduring benchmarks, the women’s 60-meter world record.
Fresh off a season shaped by historic achievement and unexpected adversity, Alfred has mapped out a clear and audacious ambition for 2026: rewriting a record that has stood untouched for more than three decades.
The reigning World Indoor 60m champion, who shares the distinction of being the second-fastest woman in history at the distance, will reopen her indoor campaign at the Millrose Games in New York City on February 11. The appearance signals a long-awaited return to the short sprint, an event she bypassed entirely during the previous season.
Chasing a record frozen in time
At the center of Alfred’s focus is Irina Privalova’s iconic 6.92 seconds, set in 1993, a mark that has defied generations of elite sprinters. Alfred’s own personal best of 6.94 seconds leaves her just two-hundredths of a second from the summit.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the 60m again,” Alfred said on the CITIUS MAG Podcast. “It’s [going to be] a fun year for me doing the things that I actually love and enjoy. I’m actually really excited.”
That enthusiasm reflects a strategic shift. With no major outdoor global championship scheduled for 2026, the indoor season offers a rare window to pursue history without compromise.
A season of extremes
Alfred’s 2025 campaign unfolded as a study in contrasts. She devoted her year to the outdoor World Championships in Tokyo, finishing with a bronze medal in the 100 meters, the same event in which she captured Olympic gold in 2024 and became a national icon.
Shortly afterward, injury halted her momentum and forced an early end to her season. Now fully healthy, she has turned that interruption into motivation.
Home, preparation, and purpose
Balancing rest with readiness, Alfred has been dividing her time between vacation and training in Saint Lucia. After completing her responsibilities as a tourism ambassador in Europe, she resumed structured training in early November, laying the groundwork for her indoor return.
The Millrose Games will present an immediate and demanding test.
The entry list for The Armoury reads like a championship final. American Aleia Hobbs, who shares Alfred’s 6.94 seconds personal best, headlines the field alongside defending Millrose champion Jacious Sears. Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, a former training partner of Alfred, adds further depth and intrigue.
Alfred is already etched into Millrose history. She holds the meet record at 6.99 seconds, set in 2024, and has broken seven seconds five times in her career, a feat that places her in rare company alongside legends such as Merlene Ottey and Gail Devers, even as Privalova’s 13 sub-seven runs remain the gold standard.
Roots of a specialist
Alfred’s mastery of the distance is no recent development. Her relationship with the 60 meters began during her collegiate years at the University of Texas, where she emerged as the third-fastest teenager ever over the distance. That ascent was briefly interrupted when the COVID-19 pandemic cut short her 2020 season, but the foundation was firmly laid.
Now, with clarity of purpose and history within reach, Julien Alfred is returning to the event she calls her favorite, not merely to compete, but to redefine what is possible.
