CASTRIES, St Lucia, Sept 27 – A man’s decision to bite Julien Alfred’s Olympic gold medal during her triumphant homecoming celebration in St Lucia has sparked widespread outrage on social media.
The incident took place as Alfred, who made history at the Paris Olympics in August by winning gold in the 100 meters, was paraded through the streets of Vieux Fort as part of her national victory tour. The athlete proudly wore her gold medal around her neck when a man, identified as Malahkee Jeanba on Facebook, approached her during the motorcade.
Jeanba asked to “touch the gold”, but ….
Jeanba, livestreaming the event on his social media account, excitedly asked Alfred if he could “touch the gold” before proceeding to bite the medal. His actions quickly ignited a firestorm online, with many condemning what they viewed as disrespectful.
The act of biting gold medals has long been a popular tradition among athletes, often at the request of photographers looking to capture a memorable image of victory. Over time, the gesture has become iconic, symbolizing both celebration and success. Still, Jeanba’s public biting of Alfred’s prized medal, outside the usual sporting context, struck a nerve with fans and fellow St Lucians.
In response to the backlash, Jeanba took to social media once again to defend himself. “Y’all only started watching Olympics as Julien Alfred won the gold… y’all never watched Olympics in the 90s, in the 80s. You never see the Olympians biting the medals?” he said in a video that has since gone viral. Jeanba went on to claim that those criticizing him were simply envious. “They’re jealous because they never tasted the gold. They’re hating on me,” he remarked defiantly.
“JuJu,” captured the world’s attention
Prior to the controversial incident, Alfred had been basking in the adoration of her home country. The 23-year-old sprinter, nicknamed “JuJu,” captured the world’s attention when she clocked 10.72 seconds in the 100 meters at the Paris Olympics, defeating favorite Sha’Carri Richardson. Her victory, which she dedicated to her late father, was the pinnacle of a remarkable season in which Alfred also claimed gold in the 60 meters at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships—a first for St Lucia.
Alfred’s latest triumph came earlier this month at the Diamond League final in Brussels, where she secured another victory in the women’s 100 meters.
The celebrations in St Lucia are set to continue, with a rally scheduled for Wednesday and a visit to a local primary school on Thursday. September 27 has officially been declared “Julien Alfred Day” in honor of the island’s first Olympic champion.
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