Thea Lafond Photo/Shutterstock
Thea LaFond made headlines as the sole representative of Dominica at the World Indoor Championships, where she won a gold medal in the triple jump earlier this year. Fast forward to the Paris Olympics, and LaFond has done it again, securing gold as the only woman from her country competing. This victory is not just a personal achievement but a historic milestone, marking the first Olympic medal for Dominica.
“It’s an understatement to say it’s a really big deal,” LaFond expressed after her triumph at the Stade de France. “Sometimes you wonder if being from a small country means that you have less accessibility to resources... But we’ve been really big on prioritizing quality and just executing it.”
Although LaFond left Dominica for the United States at the age of five and now resides in Maryland, she remains a proud ambassador for her homeland. “My country’s name is Dominica (dah-min-EE-ka). We’re not the Dominican Republic, so it’s pronounced differently,” LaFond clarified. “We have roughly 70,000 people. Not 7 million. Not 70 million. Seventy thousand. And it is a gorgeous, gorgeous gem in the Caribbean near Martinique and Guadeloupe. Our neighbors also include St. Lucia, Barbados, and, further south, Trinidad and Tobago. Our primary language is English. And now they have a gold medal.”
The women’s triple jump at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, held on August 3rd at the Stade de France, witnessed a new champion. Thea LaFond clinched the Olympic gold with a national record jump of 15.02m. Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts earned the silver with a season’s best of 14.87m, while Team USA’s Jasmine Moore took bronze, also with a season’s best of 14.67m.
LaFond's historic win came from her third-round jump, making her the only woman in the competition to surpass the 15-meter mark. Ricketts and Moore also achieved their top scores in this round before rain began to fall, complicating conditions. Despite the rain, Ricketts attempted to surpass LaFond in the sixth round but was unable to do so.
Triple jump gold medalist Thea Lafond in action at the Paris Olympics
LaFond, choosing to forgo her final jump, celebrated her victory with her family in the stands, sharing an emotional embrace with Ricketts. The celebration concluded with LaFond ringing the ceremonial bell at the Stade de France, a symbolic moment mirrored by jubilation back in Dominica.
Reflecting on her achievement, LaFond said, “This win is absolutely beyond my wildest dreams. We always said it takes one jump. The second jump at Indoor Worlds was the big one. The second jump outdoors at the Olympics was the big one, that’s what it took. The rain was kind of in my favor, it came down as soon as I was done with that second jump - thank you, God, for working with me.”
Proud of her historic accomplishment, LaFond remarked, “Every time I step on the track, it is an honor. Bearing the flag is an honor. Being Dominican is an honor. Representing a country with only 70,000 people and winning their first medal, a gold, is an honor. In all things, give thanks.”
Thea LaFond’s remarkable victory also marks a significant achievement for the University of Maryland. She is the first former Terp athlete to win an Olympic gold medal since 1988. A member of Maryland’s track & field team from 2012-15, LaFond was the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year in 2015 and earned multiple All-America honors. She previously competed in the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics, finishing 37th and 12th, respectively.
LaFond’s history-making moment was celebrated by her family, including her brother, Navy football defensive end Chreign LaFond. Although he couldn’t be in Paris to witness her triumph, his coaches ensured he received the news. The emotional moment when his coach announced, "Hey, your sister just won a gold medal," was captured on video.
Thea LaFond’s historic Olympic gold medal represents more than just an athletic triumph; it is a beacon of hope and inspiration for the people of Dominica and the wider Caribbean youth. Her victory demonstrates that greatness can emerge from the smallest of nations and that determination, hard work, and pride in one's heritage can lead to extraordinary achievements.
As Dominica celebrates its first Olympic gold medal, the ripple effect of this moment will inspire countless young girls across the Caribbean to dream big and strive for their own moments of glory.
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