'The fear of the 200m will be gone'- Edrick Floreal on what he will change to make Julien Alfred lethal

Julien Alfred

'The fear of the 200m will be gone'- Edrick Floreal on what he will change to make Julien Alfred lethal

Abigael Wafula 16:10 - 02.12.2024

Julien Alfred's coach Edrick Floreal has revealed the special training he will incorporate to make the Olympic champion unstoppable in the 200m.

If you know Olympic 100m champion Julien Alfred, then you know she does not like competing in the 200m at all costs but that is about to change come 2025.

Coach Edrick Floreal revealed that they are changing a bit of things going into next season and he noted that Julien Alfred will be competing in a few 400m races to build her confidence in running the 200m.

The veteran tactician believes that the 400m will change Julien Alfred’s 200m perspective and she will have an easy time competing in the distance going forward. She has always been vocal about her poor attitude towards the 200m but things might be switching up.

This comes as a clear warning to Gabby Thomas, Brittany Brown, Shericka Jackson and other formidable 200m runners because when Julien Alfred gets the 200m right, she will be the one to beat.

“Ideally, every year we had a plan…we have a meeting and I tend to plan on the things we need to focus on. I’ll be the first to say that Julien Alfred will be running some 400m races this year as we get ready for the 200m. We are saying the open 400m and believing that the fear of the 200m will be gone,” Edrick Floreal said.

Coach Floreal also observed that Julien Alfred loves running the 4x400m relay and challenging her to run the 400m flat would be a great step towards the right direction.

On her part, Julien Alfred explained that she did not believe in her 200m abilities until she started listening to her coach and executing what he had taught her during training. However, the world indoor champion noted that it’s never easy running the 200m.

She has the talent of executing the 200m well and that was seen at the Paris Olympic Games where she claimed the silver medal behind Gabby Thomas. Alfred was not confident enough in her abilities, the reason behind her silver medal.

“I think, in the nationals, last year…I think that’s when it really clicked for me, just in the final, just following his (coach) instructions…so I went out there, followed his instructions and I think that’s when it clicked for me,” Julien Alfred said.

“Before that season, my personal best in the 200m was like 22.9 indoors. It followed outdoors when I ran a wind-aided 21.7 at nationals in Texas, around there, it clocked for me that I can be good in the 200m but it’s not golden waves.”

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