This week on Hurdle, Emily sits down with Olympic and Indoor World Champion Julien Alfred. The track and field star opens up about navigating the mental ups and downs of elite competition, moving away from home at age 14 to pursue her dreams, and learning how to protect her inner peace amid massive international success and public attention. Julien shares how she overcomes self-doubt, handles the pressure of representing Saint Lucia on the global stage, and why giving herself grace has been key to her growth both on and off the track.
IN THIS EPISODE
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Navigating Mental Rough Patches: Julien reflects on starting the season in a difficult mental space, questioning her abilities, and how stepping back helped her reset and realign.
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Overcoming Loss & Finding Drive: How losing her father at a young age shaped her resilience and continues to inspire her athletic journey today.
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Handling High Pressure: What it’s like to carry the expectations of an entire country while learning to focus on her own personal growth and goals first.
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Protecting Inner Peace: Why Julien steps away from social media and media noise to surround herself with a strong support system that values her for who she is, not just what she accomplishes on the track.
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The Move at Age 14: The immense sacrifice of leaving Saint Lucia as a teenager for Jamaica to train, and how that leap of faith prepared her for college and professional success.
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Game Face vs. Real Life: The contrast between Julien’s calm, peaceful personality off the track and her focused, "all business" alter ego on race day.
QUOTABLE MOMENTS
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"I am just such a resilient person, a strong person, that if I'm down for a short time, I know I'm going to find my way to get back to the top."
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"It's okay to give yourself grace. It's okay to mess up sometimes. That's part of being human."
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"Small island, big things—you can just do whatever you put your mind to, no matter where you're from."
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"On the track, I'm a different person. It's all business... There's nothing to smile about until I cross that line first."
SOCIAL
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