Saint Lucia will honor Olympic 100m gold medalist Julien Alfred with a public holiday on Sept. 27.
That day will be “Julien Alfred Day,” Saint Lucia Prime Minister Philip J. Pierre announced Monday.
Alfred, 23, won the Caribbean island nation’s first Olympic medals in any sport, taking 100m gold and 200m silver in Paris.
A government official said that Alfred will arrive in Saint Lucia on Sept. 24 and be celebrated until she leaves Sept. 29.
Alfred grew up in the capital of Castries. She won all of her races at a school sports day, and a librarian recommended her to a club coach.
She attended high school in Jamaica, then matriculated at the University of Texas, where she has trained under coach Edrick Floreal.
This past March, Alfred won Saint Lucia’s first medal at a global track and field championships, gold in the 60m at world indoors. She was also feted upon visiting Saint Lucia after that meet.