St. Lucia’s first Olympic medalist returns home to cheers and calypso

Associated Press

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) — As the first St. Lucian to win an Olympic medal, sprinter Julien Alfred already has poetry, paintings and even a calypso song dedicated to her. On Tuesday, officials also announced that Sept. 27 would be Julien Alfred Day as the 23-year-old known as “JuJu” returned home to the eastern Caribbean island where she once ran barefoot as a child. Alfred thanked her mother, the government, her coach and others, including “my village.” Thousands of fans greeted her, including some who traveled from as far as London. The celebration for Alfred on the island of 238 square miles is expected to continue for at least two more days.