“Even though it hurts a lot, I trust him and what he has for me.” That’s how Julien Alfred summed up her brutal training shift this season. One that’s had her stretching well beyond her comfort zone. Under the guidance of coach Edrick Floreal, the Olympic champion has been grinding through the 300s and 400s like a middle-distance warrior. And while that’s not the norm for a short sprinter built for explosive speed, Julien clocked an impressive 52.97s in a 400m heat at the Texas Relays, leaving a national indoor record for St. Lucia in her wake. Her middle-distance exploits weren’t done yet. She then turned around to beat Shericka Jackson in the 300m at the Miramar Invitational with a scorching 36.05. But the real story isn’t just about her comeback.
So does it not feel that making a sprinter run longer distances is a tad bit cruel? But American sprint legend Justin Gatlin disagrees. He’s not having it. Defending Floreal’s methods, Gatlin explained how this calculated chaos is actually a long game. While it may feel like a public nightmare for sprinters to run outside their specialties, the strength it builds is what separates contenders from champions when the stakes get real later in the season.
Speaking up on the Ready Set Go podcast in the YouTube Video, Justin Gatlin highlighted the genius behind Julien Alfred’s training strategy. How calculated and beneficial Julien Alfred’s training path is. “Watching someone like Julien Alfred and Dina Asher-Smith run 400s, run 300s, run 4x4s not just one or two times, you know, in a season, but like multiple times within that same season, you can see the progression,” Gatlin said. Unlike typical sprint training, where athletes focus solely on their specialty, Alfred’s coach, Edrick Floreal, has been pushing her and Dina Asher-Smith into the 300m and 400m longer distances that require endurance and strength. By moving her beyond her comfort zone, he’s unlocking new levels of potential. Hence, setting the stage for even more stellar performances as the season progresses.
Though it might seem like a nightmare for sprinters like Alfred to run races that don’t match their usual 100m and 200m events, the result is something much bigger than just quick times. As Gatlin said, “I think it’s genius what he’s doing.” The pain and difficulty of these longer events are stepping stones to unlocking even more speed in her primary races. Julien herself, while initially not thrilled with the shift, has embraced it fully. Moreover, if she excels at running longer distances, the newfound endurance will propel her to further glory on home turf- short sprints! She trusted her coach and now her trust is paying off. The St. Lucian sensation is already making history.
She set a new national record in the 300m with a blazing 36.16 seconds at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston. Dina Asher-Smith came in second at 36.87 and the rest of the pack trailed even further. Alfred followed it up with an impressive 52.97-second performance in the 400m at the Tiger Paw Invitational. These results speak volumes about the effectiveness of Floreal’s plan. Julien’s strength-building phase has transformed her into a formidable force on the track. Her coach has heralded a new era in the sprinting community.
The strategy that’s changing the sprinting game
Coach Flo and Julien Alfred? That’s a duo focused on success. From the moment Edrick Floreal spotted her spark, he was locked in on a mission to mold the Saint Lucian into one of the sport’s elite. And when that dream finally hit gold at Stade de France, Julien made sure the world knew where her heart was. “I have to give thanks to my coach. I think he is my spine and my rock. He has been with me through the highs and the lows. After Worlds last year, I cried on his shoulder so much, and I just want to thank him for this, having my back throughout and the times where I felt like giving up on myself.” That emotional fourth-place finish in Budapest may have broken her heart, but it also lit a fire.
Julien used the disappointment as fuel, came back stronger, and delivered a jaw-dropping upset in Paris, beating the heavily favored Sha’Carri Richardson in the 100m final. But even in that shining moment, it wasn’t just about revenge or redemption. It was about gratitude. “I really wanted it for myself and am also so happy to have such an amazing group around me, most importantly, my coach is everything to me, and I would not be here without him.” Her words hit like a victory lap. A tribute to the team behind the triumph and the grind that brought her there.
And Julien isn’t alone in this new wave of strategy. Turns out, she’s part of a growing club of sprinters testing the waters of longer sprints to sharpen their game. Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the reigning Olympic 200m champion, is also stepping into 400m territory. He recently clocked a season-best 45.26 at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne. With the 2025 World Championships looming, it seems more and more athletes are betting on endurance and versatility. If Coach Flo’s plan worked for Julien, others are clearly taking notes.
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