Thea LaFond facts for kids
LaFond after winning gold at the 2024 World Indoor Championships.
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Born | 5 April 1994 Roseau, Dominica |
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| Height | 1.73 m | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 63 kg | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sport | Athletics | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | Triple jump | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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Thea Noeliva LaFond (born April 5, 1994) is an amazing athlete from Dominica. She is famous for her skills in the triple jump, which is a track and field event.
Thea made history at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. She won a gold medal in the triple jump, which was the very first Olympic medal ever for her home country, Dominica! Thea also won the gold medal at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships earlier that year, showing she is one of the best in the world.
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About Thea LaFond
Thea LaFond moved from Dominica to the United States when she was very young. As a child, she was a ballerina. Dancing taught her how to take feedback and improve her movements.
She went to John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Maryland. Later, she returned there to work as a special education teacher.
College and Early Career
At the University of Maryland, Thea was a multi-event athlete. She competed in events like the heptathlon and indoor pentathlon. These events involve doing many different track and field activities. She really enjoyed learning and getting better as an athlete.
Thea competed in the 2016 Summer Olympics in the women's triple jump. She jumped 12.82 meters, but this was not enough to reach the final round.
Making History
At the 2018 Commonwealth Games, Thea made history for Dominica. She became the first athlete from her country to win a medal at the Commonwealth Games. She earned a bronze medal in the women's triple jump.
She also competed at the 2020 Summer Olympics. There, she was chosen to be Dominica's flag bearer, along with another athlete named Dennick Luke.
During the 2022 Commonwealth Games, Thea did even better. She won a silver medal in the women's triple jump event.
On March 3, 2024, Thea LaFond achieved another first for Dominica. She won a gold medal at the World Championship. This happened at the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships in the women's triple jump. She set a new national record with a jump of 15.01 meters!
Olympic Gold and National Recognition
Thea won Dominica's first-ever Olympic medal at the Paris Games. She set a new national record of 15.02 meters.
After her amazing win, the government of Dominica rewarded her. She received $400,000, became a national sports ambassador, and got a special diplomatic passport. She also received a large piece of land in the village of Warner. A new track and field facility will be built and named after her. She will also receive the Dominica Award of Honour in November.
Personal Life
Thea LaFond is married to Aaron Gadson, who is also her coach. They live in Maryland. She is Catholic.
Thea has a brother named Chreign. He plays defensive end for the Navy Midshipmen football team.
International Competitions
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Notes |
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Representing  Dominica |
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| 2011 | World Youth Championships | Lille, France | 15th (q) | High jump | 1.62 m |
| 13th (q) | Triple jump | 12.15 m | |||
| 2012 | World Junior Championships | Barcelona, Spain | 19th (q) | Triple jump | 12.66 m |
| 2014 | Commonwealth Games | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 11th (q) | High jump | 1.81 m |
| 11th | Triple jump | 12.64 m | |||
| 2015 | Pan American Games | Toronto, Canada | 13th | High jump | 1.80 m |
| 12th | Triple jump | 13.35 m | |||
| NACAC Championships | San José, Costa Rica | 6th | High jump | 1.76 m | |
| 6th | Triple jump | 13.60 m | |||
| 2016 | Olympic Games | Rio de Janeiro, Brazil | 37th (q) | Triple jump | 12.82 m |
| 2017 | World Championships | London, United Kingdom | 19th (q) | Triple jump | 13.82 m |
| 2018 | World Indoor Championships | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 17th | Triple jump | 13.68 m |
| Commonwealth Games | Gold Coast, Australia | 3rd | Triple jump | 13.92 m | |
| NACAC Championships | Toronto, Canada | 3rd | Triple jump | 13.74 m | |
| 2019 | Pan American Games | Lima, Peru | 8th | Triple jump | 13.70 m |
| World Championships | Doha, Qatar | N/A | Triple jump | DNS | |
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 12th | Triple jump | 12.57 m |
| 2022 | World Indoor Championships | Belgrade, Serbia | 4th | Triple jump | 14.53 m |
| World Championships | Eugene, United States | 5th | Triple jump | 14.56 m | |
| Commonwealth Games | Birmingham, United Kingdom | 2nd | Triple jump | 14.56 m | |
| NACAC Championships | Freeport, Bahamas | 1st | Triple jump | 14.49 m | |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 5th | Triple jump | 14.90 m |
| Pan American Games | Santiago, Chile | 3rd | Triple jump | 14.25 m | |
| 2024 | World Indoor Championships | Glasgow, United Kingdom | 1st | Triple jump | 15.01 m |
| Olympic Games | Paris, France | 1st | Triple jump | 15.02 m PB NR | |
Images for kids
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LaFond at the 2019 ISTAF Berlin
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LaFond at the 2022 Athletissima
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See also
In Spanish: Thea LaFond para niños
