After seeing off rival Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m Julien Alfred was eyeing more glory. In the 200m, she was up against Gabby Thomas, who was chasing a first gold medal while Alfred was seeking double gold. Eventually, Thomas prevailed to take the top spot, leaving the Saint Lucian sprinter with a silver medal. Even though Alfred made history with her efforts in Paris, she was vocal about her discontent with the scheduling.

Julien Alfred’s gold medal in the 100m was the first time St Lucia finished on the Olympic podium. She finished the race in 10.72s well ahead of Richardson’s 10.87. Naturally, she would have been confident heading into the 200m duel despite Gabby Thomas being a slight favorite. But Thomas was able to secure gold finishing in  21.83 comfortably ahead of Alfred’s 22.08. But were the fans robbed of what could have been a much closer and thrilling race?

The Saint Lucian sprinter has publicly criticized the disorganized conditions at the Paris Games, suggesting that the chaotic environment may have negatively impacted her performance. Alfred’s frustration resonates with concerns previously voiced by track and field legend, Justin Gaitlin about the event’s organization, casting doubt over IOC’s ability to ensure fair competition.

In an interview with The Times on August 18, Julien Alfred reflected on the grueling schedule and its impact on her performance. “Not many people spoke about it, but the men got a rest day, and the women didn’t. Six races in five days take it out of you.” Alfred described the physical and emotional toll of the back-to-back events.

“A lot goes into running 10.72, and the body goes to a place it has never been before,” she noted. “After the 100m, there was drug-testing and media obligations, and I only slept for about two hours with all the adrenaline. I lay in bed, going over what I had done.”

Alfred’s campaign began on August 2 with the women’s 100m Round 1 Heat-2. This was followed by the 100m semi-final and final the next day, where she triumphed. Alfred had little time to celebrate as she competed in the 200m Round 1 Heat 1 hours later on August 4. There was a day’s gap before she appeared in the 200m semi-final and final on consecutive days.

After breezing through her 200-meter heat on Sunday, August 4, Alfred briefly spoke to reporters. When asked about the rest she got between winning Olympic gold in the women’s 100 meters on Saturday night and competing the following day, she replied, “Two hours,” with a tired expression. Despite the exhaustion, Alfred showed no signs of slowing down, winning her heat with a time of 22.41 seconds. However, she later admitted that fatigue had set in by the time the 200-meter final came around, affecting her technique.

She acknowledged the challenge, adding, “Yes, it is physical, but it is emotional and mental too. I don’t wish to use this as an excuse, but I wish I had more rest for the 200m.”

She indicated that she could perform much better if she had time to rest and prepare. Thomas may have still come out on top, but having not competed in the 100m, she was clearly fresher than Alfred and it showed during the 200m race.

The scheduling for women track and field athletes was different from that of their male counterparts, which is what Alfred isn’t happy about Here’s the breakdown:

The men’s 100-meter final was on August 4, followed by the 200-meter heats on August 5, with a full day off before the semifinals. The women, however, had their 100-meter final and the 200-meter heats close together, leaving them with hardly any recovery time.

Despite her health issues from lack of sleep, Alfred’s 200-meter silver and 100-meter gold made her the first Saint Lucian to achieve this at the Olympics. Following her performance, a track and field legend noted that health played a significant role in the race. The demanding schedule faced by athletes like Julien Alfred was a key factor affecting her results. But she was not alone in voicing this complaint!

Track veteran joined Julien Alfred’s rally against the grueling Paris Olympics schedule!

Julien Alfred’s Olympic journey was intense. She competed for five straight days, starting with the 100-meter final on August 3, where she won Saint Lucia’s first-ever Olympic medal. Three days later, she secured silver in the 200-meter. Track legend—Justin Gatlin—highlighted the impact of the demanding schedule on Alfred’s performance.

On 15 August, Gatlin said on his Ready Set Go podcast, “Julien, I understand you’re tired. You did an amazing job to be able to get that silver medal in that 200m… I personally understand the toll it takes physically and mentally.”

Gatlin raised eyebrows with his critique: “Why did the women get less time to prepare from the 100m to the 200m when the men had a day off to rest their bodies and run a little fresher than the women did? I feel like that was an unfair advantage in a lot of ways.”

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Gatlin, who’s no stranger to the double-sprint challenge, added, “When you’re doubling, regardless of at the World championships or Olympics, it’s a hard feat to do.”

Gatlin, who once conquered both sprints on the same day at the 2014 Diamond League in Brussels, understands the grueling nature of the schedule. He pointed out the hectic routine: after winning the 100m, Alfred faced press conferences, drug tests, and body therapy, often staying up till 1 AM, only to sprint again the next day.

Despite the scheduling challenges and fatigue, Gatlin praised Alfred for her remarkable achievements, securing a spot on the podium in 100m and 200m, adding St Lucia’s name to the medal winner’s tally for the first time.

But do you think a better schedule would’ve meant more gold for Julien Alfred? Share in the comments below!