CASTRIES, St Lucia – German sports apparel manufacturer, Puma announced on Friday it had signed St Lucia sprint darling Julien Alfred.
St Lucia sprint darling Julien Alfred running with Puma. (PR photo)According to a news release from the company, the 22-year-old started wearing its products at the Diamond League on Friday in Monaco.
“PUMA has such legendary status in athletics, so the decision to join their family was an easy one,” she said. “I feel that together we can achieve great things on and off the track.”
Alfred, the NCAA 100 meters champion, experienced a meteoric rise through the rankings over the past 18 months, going undefeated over 100m in the 2022 NCAA season, and picking up a silver medal in the same event at the Commonwealth Games 2022 Birmingham.
Her fine form continued this year, with Alfred becoming the first woman in NCAA history to break the seven seconds barrier over 60m, securing her spot as the all-time second fastest indoor sprinter at both 60 and 200 meters.
The seven-time NCAA champion capped a remarkable first half to the year by taking the gold medal at the Central American and Caribbean Games earlier this month in San Salvador.
“Julien is an incredible athlete, one we believe will continue to make history on the track,” Head of Sports Marketing at Puma, Pascal Rolling said.
“She is the true embodiment of forever faster and our ambition to be the fastest brand on the planet – we’re thrilled to have her join the Puma family.”
Alfred, now ranked in the top four at both 100 and 200 meters, will wear Puma track and field spikes, which the company indicated will offer her ultimate combination of power and propulsion.
She won her professional debut at the Diamond League meeting last Sunday in Silesia, clocking 9.89 seconds to defeat the previously undefeated American Sha’Carri Richardson. who ran 9.97.
