From Dominica to the World: Thea LaFond's Journey

Born on April 5, 1994, to Drs. Dorian LaFond and Anestine Theophile-LaFond, in the picturesque West Coast community of Mahaut, baby Thea LaFond was warmly welcomed. Her early years were filled with the vibrant culture and natural beauty of Dominica, which would later inspire her athletic journey. Thirty years later, she has put Dominica on the map in ways no one could imagine.

As many Caribbean islanders have done, Thea and her family migrated to the United States when she was merely five years old. The move meant greater access to a broader array of facilities, opportunities, and options, which are virtually nonexistent in the region, or Dominica.

In Silver Springs, Maryland, Thea's interest in and love for track and field were nurtured and developed.

Staying committed to the land of her birth, Thea was sure to represent the Nature Isle at any chance, and she did, bringing pride and optimism to the nation with her every jump.

While a student in the USA, Thea first competed for Dominica in the 2011 CARIFTA Games. LaFond jumped to a silver medal in the girls Under 20 High Jump and secured bronze in the Under 20 girl's Triple jump event, with a distance of 12.30 metres.

From then on, there was no turning back as LaFond-Gadson rose to prominence by regularly representing the island on the international stage, including the Pan Am Games, Commonwealth Games (where she was the first Dominican female to win a medal, bronze at that, in 2018), and World Indoor Games (taking gold in 2024 with a jump of 15.01 metres), to name a few.

Her steadily improved performances were the telltale signs that LaFond was a standout athlete and one to look out for on the global stage.

Anderson Emerole, a sports media professional and former sprinter, pointed out that Thea's consistency has been evidenced over the years as she jumped out of the 12-metre range into the 13-metre range, gradually stamping her mark in the 14-metre range, then breaking into the 15-metre sphere.

"The pandemic in 2020 brought back-to-back global championships, meaning Worlds in 2022. Just for a quick summary of the year: Thea finished fourth place at the World Indoor Championships in Serbia; she won her first Diamond League Competition in Morocco; finished fifth place at the World Championships in Eugene, Oregon, including a foul that was in the 15-metre range; won her second Commonwealth Medal, this time an upgrade to silver in Birmingham; and finally became the NACAC Champion in the triple jump in the Bahamas. This was all done while jumping 14 metres, a total of twenty times, only two of which were wind-aided and not including ancillary jumps."

Thea was also lucky enough to participate in three Olympic events: the 2016 Games held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (she placed 37th overall with a jump of 12.82m); the 2020 Games, which took place in Tokyo, Japan (she came in 12th with a leap of 12.57m); and the 2024 Games hosted in Paris, France, where she won Dominica's first gold medal with her jump of 15.02 metres.

Her journey to prominence has not always been smooth sailing. While on a continuous upward trajectory, LaFond did experience her fair share of fouls, bad jumps, and not making it to the top three. But she never gave up and kept pushing herself, a testament to her unwavering determination and resilience.

Then, the triple jumper's journey to gold may be no surprise to some as she has slowly but surely been getting better at her craft and racking up the accolades to prove it.

President of the Dominica Olympic Committee, Billy Doctrove, saw something special in this athlete and has never regretted his decision to convince the DOC to support her as a full-time athlete.

"This historic achievement by Thea is the greatest in the history of Dominica since we gained independence. We admire Thea's humility; she is an exceptional athlete but a better human being."

Thea, a former special education teacher, is forever grateful to the DOC and the Dominica Athletic Association for fully supporting her athletic career.

"We all know I was teaching about a year and a half, or two years, ago, and the support I was able to obtain from Dominica is really what led to the ability to really focus on my craft, and we have seen the changes in two years only."

Other national and regional athletes took time out to commend Thea on her monumental achievement.

"Thea stuck with Dominica through the thick and thin. I can say she will change the vision of sports in Dominica forever," said National Triple Jumper Fabien Florant.

"It takes a village to raise a child, and Thea is our child. She is a proud daughter of Dominica, and we will remember her for her accomplishments," promised Brendan Williams, former national athlete and Team Leader of the 2024 Olympic delegation.

Another factor that contributed to Thea's success was her decision to change coaches almost ten years ago. This decision improved her athletic development and techniques, resulting in her remarkable growth and success.

Villagers in Mahaut and citizens around the country were beaming with pride at the news that came in that weekend.

"Girl, tears come out in my eyes when I see that."

"Aye, not going to lie, I get goosebumps when I hear our anthem play, eh."

"I always knew she could do it, you know, never doubted her."

"I am so proud of her. Let us now see something that will happen in sports development in Dominica."