There was much excitement at the offices of the St Lucia Olympic Committee (SLOC) in La Clery on Wednesday when the Olympic committee received a special donation that is to become a symbol of pride and inspiration for the entire nation.

Julien Alfred, the young sprint sensation, generously gifted her gold-medal-winning shoes from the World Indoor 60m Championships in Glasgow.  On March 2, Alfred created history when she became the first St Lucian athlete to win a gold medal at a global championship after storming to victory in a world-leading time of 6.98s.

The SLOC, led by President Alfred Emmanuel, gratefully accepted the historic donation at Olympic House. In an Instagram post, they expressed their appreciation for Julien's gesture and announced plans for the shoes to be showcased in a memorabilia exhibition later in the year. These shoes, worn during Julien's triumphant sprint to victory, would now become a cherished artifact, joining the esteemed collection of more than a thousand pieces at the St Lucia Olympic Museum.

 “The (running spikes) are currently housed at our Olympic museum but the plan is later in the year, Olympic week, which would be in June, we will be having a public exhibition in the city of Castries so it will surely be out there for the public to see but if persons would want to have a close-up look at it they are welcome to visit our museum.

“The spikes will be part of a bigger exhibition in June but it’s part of the exhibits we have on display right now at the museum.”

President Emmanuel shared his excitement about the upcoming exhibition, scheduled to coincide with Olympic week in June. He emphasized the significance of displaying Julien's spikes alongside other iconic items from St Lucia's sporting history. From Dominic Johnson's bronze-medal-winning shoe to Levern Spencer's Gold Coast high jump shoes, each artifact representing a chapter in the nation's athletic journey.

Reflecting on Julien Alfred's remarkable achievement in Glasgow, President Emmanuel expressed pride and anticipation. "We would have been disappointed had she not crossed the line first," he remarked, echoing the sentiments of a nation eagerly awaiting her victory. Julien's success, he believed, held the power to inspire future generations of athletes and prompt policymakers to prioritize sports investment.

“I hope it can serve as a motivation for our athletes, especially knowing Julien’s history, where she came from, her dedication, the effort she put into the sport and now she is being reaping the rewards,” he remarked.

“We only hope that would serve as a motivation for her and motivation for policymakers of the country, the government, to invest more in sports and at the end of the day, the aim is to see how many more Julien Alfreds we can have in the not too distant future.”