Julien Alfred, Saint Lucia’s celebrated athlete and the country’s first Olympic medalist, will be a key figure at the inaugural Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees (CANOC) Sports Awards on October 19. At just 23 years old, Alfred stands out as the only athlete nominated in multiple categories at this prestigious event, which aims to honour the Caribbean’s top athletes, teams, and sports leaders.

The CANOC Sports Awards will highlight the region’s sporting achievements while emphasizing sustainability, aligning with the International Olympic Committee’s Sustainability Awards. Alfred, who is the reigning World Indoors 60 meters champion, as well as the Olympic and Wanda Diamond League 100 meters champion, is one of five nominees for the Female Caribbean Sports Personality of the Year. Her fellow nominees in this category include notable athletes such as Olympic 400-meter champion Marileidy Paulino from the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rican sprint hurdler Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, Shafiqua Maloney from St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts.

In addition to her nomination for Female Caribbean Sports Personality of the Year, Alfred is also in the running for the Caribbean Breakthrough Award, recognizing athletes who have won their first medal at a major continental or international multi-sport event. Other nominees for this award include World Indoor champion and Olympic gold medalist Thea LaFond from Dominica, World Junior double medallist Adaejah Hodge from the British Virgin Islands, and boxers Junior Alcantara Reyes and Cristian Javier Pinales from the Dominican Republic.

The competition for Male Caribbean Sports Personality of the Year features athletes like Kyron McMaster (British Virgin Islands, Athletics), Lindon Victor (Grenada, Decathlon), and Mijain Lopez Nunez (Cuba, Wrestling). For the Male Team of the Year, nominees include Barbados’ Under-14 football team, Curaçao’s baseball team, and the Dominican Republic’s senior football team.

In the female category, nominees for Team of the Year include Barbados’ triathlon team, the Dominican Republic’s volleyball team, Puerto Rico’s basketball team, and the US Virgin Islands’ basketball team.

The Caribbean Sports Media Award will recognize journalists like Anmar Goodridge-Boyce of Barbados, alongside nominees such as Sebastian Cyrus from St. Vincent and the Grenadines and Jesus Leonardo Reyes from the Dominican Republic.

Awards will also honor individuals for their contributions to the region’s sports landscape, including the Caribbean Distinguished Service Award and the Caribbean Lifetime Achievement Quadrennial Award, which will recognize transformational leadership in sports. The Caribbean National Olympic Committee of the Year Award will acknowledge the exceptional efforts of a National Olympic Committee in advancing sports within the region.