St. Lucians were excited as they watched Julien Alfred cross the line in Monaco. Why wouldn’t they be? They’d just watched their superstar clock an electric 21.51 in the 200m, setting a world lead and a personal best in the process. Only two women in history had ever run faster. Then came four words that turned the wave of emotion, and the Saint Lucian Olympic Committee made their feelings very clear.

“No, I won’t be,” Alfred said of her participation at the Commonwealth Games.

In a rather scathing statement, the committee has hit out at the reigning 100m Olympic champion after Alfred confirmed she wouldn’t be in Glasgow, saying it “doesn’t work with my schedule as of now”. It has seen the committee question why she won’t be at the Commonwealth Games.

“The Saint Lucia Olympic Committee Inc. / Saint Lucia Commonwealth Games Association is extremely disappointed re Julien Alfred’s non-participation at this year’s Commonwealth Games,” the statement read (via St Lucia Times.com).

“Following talks with both Alfred and her manager Henry Rolles [sic] in 2025, our organisation was told that the Commonwealth Games would be included in her 2026 schedule.”

The move is surprising from Alfred, especially after she revealed in January that she was “looking forward to Glasgow 2026,” just before the World Indoor Championships, where Alfred finished third in the 60m. Since then, the St Lucian has been on fire, winning every meet she competed in.

That tally includes three straight Diamond League meets across the 100m and 200m, with Alfred even clocking a personal best in the latter. It’s why St. Lucians were excited to see the 25-year-old in Glasgow- she was a favourite to win gold in both disciplines. After all, she won gold in the 100m and silver in the 200m during the Paris Olympics and bronze at the 2026 World Championships.

Fans believed that it was because of an injury she suffered after the Monaco DL but the 25-year-old has since quashed those rumors by running again. Alfred raced at the Hungarian Grand Prix, four days after Monaco, winning the 100m in 10.87 seconds. Now she’s all set to line up in the 200m alongside Amy Hunt, Gabby Thomas and company during the London Diamond League.

“Having received this unfortunate news, we requested from the Athletics Association to obtain full disclosure from Julien’s management team as to why the commitment given to participate in 2025 has now been withdrawn,” the statement added.

While questions continue to surround her Commonwealth Games withdrawal, Alfred’s performances on the track have left little room for criticism. Her run in Monaco, in particular, was one she admitted exceeded even her own expectations.

Julien Alfred reflects on her incredible 200m run in Monaco

Arguably one of the best sprinters in world athletics right now, Julien Alfred has slowly rediscovered her best in 2026. The 25-year-old took things rather easy in 2025 after a hectic 2024, which she capped off with two Olympic medals. And 2025 reflected that, as Alfred largely won every race, although things changed during the Tokyo World Championships.

Instead, the 25-year-old was marginally off the pace, registering 10.84 for third place. Melissa Jefferson-Wooden took first with 10.61, and Tina Clayton finished second with 10.74. It marked only the second time in 2025 that Alfred had not won a race and the first time since the Olympics that she wasn’t first or second.

Even then, her 2025 season came with her personal best in the 200m. The 25-year-old clocked 21.71 during the London Diamond League meet. 2026, however, has seen her shatter that time, registering 21.51 to win the Monaco DL. It’s the fastest time across 200m of the season and the third fastest time of all-time, a remarkable run from Alfred. And it’s one she’s been training for a long time.

“I have been preparing for this for such a long time, to finally see it pay off, I am just happy,” Alfred said after the race (via Olympics.com). “I didn’t realise how fast it was till I crossed the line. I looked at the clock and saw my time and that’s why I was screaming like at the Olympics.

“There are no limits right now. Today, I was actually hoping to see 21.6, I got 21.5, so I am happy nonetheless.”

Glasgow may have lost its biggest sprint attraction, but Julien Alfred’s season is far from slowing down. Whether that will be enough to satisfy those back home is another question entirely.