The auction of Olympic gold medalist Julien Alfred’s racing spikes fetched a remarkable sum, sparking regret from ATHLOS founder Alexis Ohanian for missing the chance to bid.
Alexis Ohanian, husband of tennis legend Serena Williams, expressed his disappointment at not participating in the auction of Julien Alfred’s historic spikes, which sold for an astonishing $75,000 during a charity event hosted by BodyHoliday, one of Alfred’s sponsors.
The custom track spikes, worn by the Saint Lucian sprint sensation as she secured her second straight Diamond League 100m championship and earned a bronze medal at the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, were auctioned for an impressive $75,000.
The fundraising gala, titled “Power and Grace: An Evening Honoring Julien Alfred,” took place on October 11 and successfully raised over $100,000 to support the Julien Alfred Foundation.
Julien Alfred’s Spikes Fetch High Bid
The winning bid for Alfred’s personalized PUMA Nitro sprint spikes was placed by Kevin Graves, an American basketball coach and entrepreneur known for mentoring NBA star Bam Adebayo.
On his second trip to Saint Lucia this year, Graves emphasized the significance of backing philanthropic initiatives like the Alfred Foundation before securing the signed spikes. The bidding started at $1,500 for the spikes, which were displayed on a track segment featuring Saint Lucia’s “758” area code.
Alexis Ohanian Expresses Regret Over Missing the Auction
Following the auction, Jamaican sports journalist @shearer39 shared the milestone on X, catching the eye of Alexis Ohanian, a prominent investor in women’s sports and founder of the women-only track event ATHLOS.
Ohanian lamented that he would have loved to place a bid had he known about the auction, highlighting his enthusiasm for supporting female athletes.
“I would have definitely placed a bid if I had known! Congratulations, Julien!!” Ohanian tweeted.
Other memorabilia auctioned included the PUMA jersey and bib Alfred donned at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships, which sold for $1,900 to former pro basketball player Marcellus Bax Stiede, who is now a candidate for the Castries North seat in the upcoming general elections.
The fundraising drive was further supported by generous donations: an anonymous benefactor contributed $25,000, the Saint Lucia Tourism Authority gave $5,000, Andrew Barnard, CEO of Sunswept Resorts/BodyHoliday, donated $10,000, and Bay Gardens added $5,000.
The glamorous evening at BodyHoliday’s Firefly Villa in Saint Lucia also featured appearances by fellow track stars Rhasidat Adeleke and Vernon Norwood, both of whom expressed eagerness to return to the island.
Julien Alfred’s standout 2025 season was marked by her back-to-back Diamond League 100m victories and her historic bronze medal at the Tokyo World Championships – the first ever for Saint Lucia in this event.