Julien Alfred powers to 60m world lead in season opener

Olympic champion Julien Alfred kicked off her 2026 season in spectacular fashion, clocking the fastest indoor 60m time in the world this year.

The 24-year-old Saint Lucian star stopped the clock at 7.04s to win her heat at the Woo Pig Classic in Fayetteville, Arkansas, on Saturday. Then in the final, she lowered it to a super fast 7.00s, thus laying down the gauntlet on the incredible form she's in this season.

The meet, held at the Randal Tyson Track Center, marked Alfred's first race in 146 days, her last appearance being at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships in September, where she secured a bronze medal in the 100m.

It was also her first 60m competition in nearly two years, with her previous run being her gold-medal performance at the World Indoor Championships in Glasgow 707 days prior.

Initially slated to compete at last weekend's Millrose Games, Alfred opted for Fayetteville to launch her campaign. She has ambitious goals for the year as she plans to defend her title at the upcoming World Indoor Championships in Kujawy Pomorze, Poland, next month.

As the second-fastest woman in history over the 60m distance, Alfred has also set her sights on breaking the long-standing world record held by Russia’s Irina Privalova.

Before her race on Saturday, the world-leading time belonged to Czech athlete Karolína Maňasová, who ran 7.05 seconds three weeks ago. While Jamaica's Tia Clayton recently posted a 7.02s, that time was achieved outdoors with wind assistance and is not eligible for indoor rankings.