The Executive Board of the Saint Lucia  Olympic Committee Incorporated (SLOC Inc) has extended congratulations to young female sprinter  Julien Alfed on the achievement of her silver medal performance in the women’s 100 metres  at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. 

“Julien has really done us proud. She has won Saint Lucia’s first medal at the Youth Olympic  Games.  In fact,  if you recall,  Julien has now  distinguished herself as a junior athlete. She has won medals  at the Commonwealth Youth Games , the first Gold medal for Saint Lucia  at the Commonwealth Youth Games  and of course she has done it again this year winning for us a silver medal  at Youth Olympics. We have been at the youth Olympic Games for the last three times over the last 12 years, ” President of the (SLOC Inc.) Fortuna Belrose said in a statement Monday night.

“We are indeed heartened by this achievement  for a young person. We trust that other young persons will see sports as an avenue to go out and make themselves, their family and their country proud, “she stated.

Belrose took the opportunity to thank all those who played a role in Alfred’s success on the track thus far.

“We are very grateful to her coach  Cuthbert Modeste for the work and effort that  he put in to ensure she was ready for the event and to thank her family for their support during these times. And of course to the Athletic Association for making the recommendation . We really want to thank all the persons around her who really supported her, ” she mentioned.

The (SLOC Inc.) President  went on to highlight that it was a period of continued celebration for the Organisation as the medal comes on the heels of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognising the contribution of IOC member and Immediate Past President of the (SLOC Inc.) Richard Peterkin who has been conferred with the Olympic Order.

“This we see as reward and recognition   for his work in Governance and Finance  within the Olympic Movement, and that’s another opportunity that we do have to celebrate. As an Olympic Committee we will continue to do all that we can to ensure our  people in the movement  and our youngsters get the opportunities to compete and meet their potential and  aspirations through sport.” Belrose stressed.

Meanwhile the (SLOC Inc.) is in the process of planning a fitting welcome for the team on return to the island this weekend.

Even before she was a teenager Julien Alfred’s seemed destined to be a track star and her domination at the local level left strong hints that promised she would have been a force to be reckoned with not just regionally but also on the world stage.

That journey reached another major milestone Monday when she copped the silver medal in the women’s 100 metres at the Youth Olympic Games which comes to a close in Buenos Aires Argentina on Thursday. The remarkable feat meant Saint Lucia had captured its first medal at such a prestigious event during  its third  outing.  Last year was also highly rewarding for the young sprinter, after  winning the gold medal in the same event at the Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas

 It also made the island one of two from the English speaking Caribbean to pick up a spot on the medals table in this year’s Youth Olympics, the other being regional powerhouses Jamaica, who had one bronze medal at that stage of the Games.

The 17 year old crossed the finish  line in her second stage race  in 11.23 for a combined 23.22 losing out on the gold medal by just two hundredths of a second to Nigerian Rosemary Chukuma.  Gabriela Analie Suarez of Ecuador won bronze.

” My dad passed away five years  ago and he always hoped to see me compete here today, ”  Alfred said after her medal run.  She stated  that it was a bitter sweet moment for her as October 17 would have been his birthday and that she had travelled to Argentina mere days after the passing of her aunt.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has formally notified the Saint Lucia Olympic Committee Incorporated (SLOC Inc.)  that it has awarded IOC Member and Immediate Past President of the (SLOC Inc.) with the prestigious Olympic Order.

By way of letter to the SLOC inc’s President Fortuna Belrose,  dated October 12   2018, the IOC confirmed that at its Executive Board meeting October 3-4   2018 agreed on granting the award to Mr Peterkin  for his outstanding services to the Olympic Movement.

The IOC further stated that an award ceremony will take place during the IOC’s 134 th session  in June 2019 in Lausanne, Switzerland, where the IOC haedquarters is located.

Meanwhile members of the Executive Board of the SLOC Inc have all saluted their Immediate Past President for the wonderful recognition shown by the IOC

” We indeed salute you ! Congratulations ! Richard’s sterling contribution to the Olympic fraternity is well noted. He went into the movement at a time when it needed major reformation. He worked in the movement in particularly contributing significantly in the areas of good governance and financing. We are indeed proud of his achievement. Well done! ” President Belrose said. 

Other tributes have come from  other bodies  in the sub-region. President of the National Olympic  Committees of the Eastern Caribbean States (ANOCES) A. E. Bridgewater said

 ” The historical significance of the moment does not escape me as it may very well be that you are the first OECS representative to have  achieved IOC membership status, and now, this prestigious accolade.”