Thea LaFond won the triple jump at the Paris Games to earn the tiny Caribbean island of Dominica its first Olympic medal. She says “it’s an understatement to say it’s a really big deal” for her country. She adds that “sometimes you wonder if being from a small country means that you have less accessibility to resources.
Thea Lafond, of Dominica , celebrates after winning the women’s triple jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. Thea Lafond, of Dominica , makes an attempt in the women’s triple jump qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Friday, Aug. 2, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. Thea Lafond, of Dominica , celebrates after winning the women’s triple jump final at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France.
There are virtually no facilities for track and field on the island. Plans to build a track have been stalled for years, LaFond said. When she made her Olympic debut in 2016, she was introduced to Aaron Gadson, who became her coach and then her husband. Gadson’s first big advice for LaFond involved a big change to her jumping technique.
Gadson had some more invaluable advice in Paris after LaFond leaped 14.32 meters on her first jump: “He came to me and he said, ’Listen, there is torrential downpour coming in 20 minutes. You have to do something big now because the weather is not going to be on your side.’”
Chreign Lafond Dominica MD State Wire Sports Julien Alfred Navy Midshipmen
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Katie Ledecky Olympic Swimming Odds for All Races (Will She Set Olympic Swimming Medal Record?)Taking a look at Katie Ledecky's betting odds to win her four swimming events at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
Read more »
US Olympic superstars Simone Biles and Katie Ledecky make Olympic historyPolitical News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government
Read more »
Why Don’t Olympic Skateboarders Wear Helmets — and other Olympic Skating Questions AnsweredAnna Kaplan is a news and trending reporter for TODAY.com.
Read more »
2024 Olympic Men's Golf Odds: Americans Crowding Olympic BoardBreaking down the Olympic Men's Golf board at Le Golf National, with analysis on the field, favorites, and more.
Read more »
Team Brazil’s Olympic Uniforms Cause Controversy, Olympic Committee Responds: ‘It’s Not Fashion Week’Team Brazil's ceremonial uniforms for the 2024 Paris Olympics received critics from Anitta and others on social media.
Read more »
Galaxy Z Flip 6 Olympic Edition: a foldable made for Olympic athletes!Izzy, a tech enthusiast and a key part of the PhoneArena team, specializes in delivering the latest mobile tech news and finding the best tech deals. Her interests extend to cybersecurity, phone design innovations, and camera capabilities.
Read more »