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PARIS, France – It was a historic moment for Dominica as Thea Lafont expressed immense joy and pride after winning the women’s triple jump final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The 30-year-old athlete won the first-ever Olympic medal for the island nation, a brilliant achievement.
“It means everything,” Lafont said in his post-match news conference. “Everything I do in this sport is to make my country look good, and tonight they looked fantastic, terrific, incredible, amazing. I’m very grateful, honored and proud, and I hope they are, too.”
Lafont broke the national record with an amazing 15.02 meters to win the gold medal, beating Jamaican Shanika Ricketts, who set a season best of 14.87 meters. Jasmine Moore of the United States also set a season best of 14.67 meters to take the bronze medal.
The competition was tight in the absence of world record holder Yulima Rojas of Colombia, but Lafont admitted he was not particularly confident, especially after his initial run.
“To be honest, I didn’t feel super confident, especially after yesterday (Friday), but I always think it only takes one good jump. Believe in yourself, you don’t need to feel perfect to do something extraordinary,” Lafond explained.
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She credits her husband and coach, Aaron Gadson, for helping her stay focused and complete her jumps even when she wasn’t feeling her best.
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