Julien Alfred breaks down in tears upon hero's welcome in St. Lucia following gold medal triumph at Paris Olympics

Double Olympic medalist Julien Alfred was moved to tears after receiving a warm welcome upon reaching Saint Lucia after her successful Paris Olympics campaign. She made history after becoming the first athlete from her country to win an Olympic medal.

Alfred made her Olympic Games debut this year in August, where she stunned the world following her victory over heavy favorite Sha'Carri Richardson in the 100m race. She outpaced Richardson with 10.72 seconds to earn her first Olympic medal. Subsequently, she competed in the 200m event, winning the second medal of her career, earning a silver with a time of 22.08 seconds.

After her Olympic heroics, Alfred reached St. Lucia on Tuesday, September 24, marking her first time after the Paris Games. The 23-year-old was greeted by loud cheers as she arrived at the Hewanorra International Airport, where she was received by Philip J. Pierre, the Prime Minister of the eastern Caribbean island.

A video of the moment was shared by Track & Field Gazette on their X handle (formerly Twitter), with the caption:

"Emotional homecoming for Olympic 100m Champion, Julien Alfred. The first of her kind for her country!"

In recognition of Alfred's Olympic triumphs, the St. Lucian government announced earlier this month that September 27 will be declared "Julien Alfred Day", and it will also be observed as a national holiday.

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"I was thinking if I made the wrong choice" - Julien Alfred reflects on leaving St. Lucia to pursue her dreams

Julien Alfred at the Paris Games 2024 (Image via Getty)

Julien Alfred relocated to Jamaica to pursue her track and field dreams, and reflecting on her transition, the Ciceron said that she was uncertain whether she made the right choice having left her family behind. She said (via Athletics Weekly):

"At the time [when I moved from Saint Lucia to Jamaica], I was thinking if I made the wrong choice. I left my family behind and made some big sacrifices to get to this point. I’ve now developed as an athlete, person and individual.

It’s been a long journey and I’ve had a lot of lessons to learn. In the times that I’ve struggled my coach always told me that I should use that as motivation. I didn’t come this far for nothing and every person is there for a reason. It’s about taking one step at a time."

Alfred also said she needs time to let all the achievements sink in considering all the sacrifices she made in her life.