After Olympic triumph and injury, Julien Alfred is now focused on the women’s 60-meter world record — one of track and field’s most enduring benchmarks.
The reigning World Indoor 60m champion and sprinting sensation has set an ambitious target for 2026: to break one of athletics’ oldest records.
Alfred, tied as the second-fastest woman ever over 60m, will start her campaign at New York’s Millrose Games on Feb. 11.
This marks her highly anticipated return to the short indoor sprint.
She aims to surpass the 32-year-old world record of 6.92 seconds, set by Irina Privalova of Russia in 1993. Alfred’s personal best is 6.94, just two-hundredths of a second shy.
“I’m really looking forward to competing in the 60m again,” Alfred said on the CITIUS MAG podcast. “It’s a fun year for me doing the things that I actually love and enjoy. I’m actually really excited.”
In a 2025 season focused solely on the World Championships in Tokyo, the Saint Lucian star won bronze in the 100m—adding to her 2024 Olympic gold—before injury cut her year short.
With no major outdoor championships in 2026, Alfred is seizing the chance to chase indoor history. She returned to training in early November after serving as a European tourism ambassador.
The Millrose Games will provide an immediate and challenging test for Alfred. The field includes American rival Aleia Hobbs, who shares Alfred’s 6.94-second best, and the defending Millrose champion Jacious Sears.
Great Britain’s Dina Asher-Smith, a former training partner, adds further elite competition.
Alfred is familiar with The Armoury, holding its meet record with a 6.99 in 2024 — one of five career sub-seven-second runs. This tally places her among event legends like Merlene Ottey, Gail Dever, and Privalova, who has 13.
