Justib Gatlin has hailed Julien Alfred’s commanding 200m performance at the London Diamond League last Saturday which sent shockwaves through the track and field world.

Julien Alfred’s commanding 200m performance at the London Diamond League last Saturday has sent shockwaves through the track and field world.

Running into a -0.6 m/s headwind, Alfred clocked an astonishing 21.71, surging away from the field with effortless power. It wasn’t just a win—it was arguably the most dominant women’s 200m performance of the season so far.

Her poise and control mirrored that of a championship final, and with the World Championships fast approaching, her message was loud and clear.

Now, former Olympic gold medalist Justin Gatlin is weighing in on who, if anyone, might be able to stop her.

 

In a recent episode of his Ready Set Go podcast, Gatlin emphasized just how uncommon it is to see times like Alfred’s outside of major championship settings:

“Usually when you hear about ninth all-time, fifth all-time, or second, third all-time—it’s in championship settings,” Gatlin said.

“That’s when athletes peak. But for her to run that kind of time at a Diamond League? That tells you she’s not just in form, she’s ahead of schedule.”

The Flo Factor

At the center of Alfred’s rise is her coach, Flavio “Flo” Bennett, whose athlete-first mindset is turning heads across the sport. Gatlin praised Flo’s approach, particularly the mental preparation he instills in his athletes:

“Flo gets in your head—in a good way. He tells his athletes, ‘Forget the time, focus on effort. Make me proud. Run with everything you’ve got.’ That kind of coaching takes pressure off. Athletes aren’t chasing numbers—they’re chasing execution. And when they nail that, the times follow.”

The Competition: Who Can Challenge Alfred?

With Alfred rapidly ascending, the attention now shifts to the other heavy hitters in the women’s 200m.

“You can’t forget the usual suspects,” Gatlin noted. “Gabby Thomas is locked in, trying to secure her first world title. Then you’ve got Anavia Battle, Brittany Brown, and young guns like McKenzie Long—who just ran 21.21 with far fewer races under her belt. That’s dangerous.”

Yet one name looms large despite a relatively quiet season: Shericka Jackson, the defending world champion and one of the fastest 200m runners in history.

“Shericka hasn’t looked like her old self yet, but she’s climbing,” Gatlin said. “For seasoned vets, it’s not about peaking early—it’s about delivering when it counts. When you win that final, all the Ls from earlier in the season? They disappear.”

A Season Building Toward Greatness

With Alfred peaking at the right time and major contenders sharpening their form, the women’s 200m is shaping up to be one of the most exciting showdowns of the year. But as Gatlin suggests, this isn’t just a battle of speed—it’s about experience, composure, and execution under pressure.

“At the end of the day, when you cross that finish line with gold, that’s all people remember. The rest? That’s just buildup.”

As the World Championships approach, one question lingers: Who can stop Julien Alfred?