PARIS – After becoming the first world champion for Dominica, Maryland alum Thea LaFond added Olympic Champion to her resume after taking Gold in the triple jump on Saturday at Stade de France.
Thea LaFond, what a story:
– Born in Dominica
– Moved to Maryland at 7
– Started track in high school
– 2015 B1G Field Athlete of the Year
– Taught in Montgomery County Schools to support her dreamNow, she’s her country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist. Proud she’s a Terp pic.twitter.com/qupvLHOdgq
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) August 3, 2024
LaFond posted a mark of 15.02 meters – a new national record in the event – to become the first Maryland track and field alum to medal in the Olympics. She is the 10th Gold medalist in Maryland history and the first Terp student-athlete to win Gold since Vicky Bullett in 1988.
The result was also history for her Caribbean island nation as the country’s first ever Olympic medal.
Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts and American Jasmine Moore took silver and bronze, respectively.
LaFond took the lead on her second attempt with the mark of 15.02 meters – a world best this year.
A historic first 🫶
Thea Lafond delivers the first ever Olympic medal to Dominica.
And it’s a glittering triple jump gold with a 15.02m national record 🏆#Paris2024 #OlympicGames pic.twitter.com/QeLDYNtU7F
— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 3, 2024
Earlier this year, LaFond won the triple jump title at the 2024 World Indoor Championships. She posted the top jump in the world at 49-feet, 3-inches for the year.
THEA LAFOND IS AN OLYMPIC GOLD MEDALIST!!
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) August 3, 2024
This also marked the third Olympics for LaFond as she competed in the 2016 and 2021 games.
Before beginning her professional career, LaFond earned multiple All-American honors at Maryland, including placing in the top-ten in both the women’s high jump and triple jump at NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2013. In the indoor season in 2013, Lafond was named the USTFCCCA Mid-Atlantic Field Athlete of the Year. During her senior season in 2015, Lafond was named the Big Ten’s Field Athlete of the Year.
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