Olympic first for Dominica as Thea LaFond wins gold in Triple Jump
It was another historic moment in a night of Olympic firsts in the Stade De France on Saturday night, as Thea LaFond won gold in the women’s triple jump marking Dominica’s first Olympic medal of any colour.
LaFond set a national record jumping 15.02 which was too much for Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts who managed a season’s best of 14.87 to claim silver and USA’s Jasmine Moore who won bronze, with another season best of 14.67.
“It is absolutely beyond my wildest dreams,” LaFond said. “We always said it takes one jump. Second jump at indoor worlds was the big one. Second jump outdoors at the Olympics was the big one, that’s what it took. The rain was kind of in my favour, it came down as soon as I was done with that second jump – thank you God for working with me.
“Here we are, Olympic champ. Dominica’s first medal, it’s gold. Indoor was the first medal, it was gold. What a year, what a life, oh my God, wow.”
“At this point, every time I step on the track is an honour, bearing the flag is an honour, being Dominican is an honour. Representing a country with only 70,000 people and being out here and getting their first medal, a gold, is an honour. In all things, give thanks. I’m tired, I’m dehydrated, but I’m Olympic champion so who cares? What’s a little dehydration, what’s a little cramp? It’s a party, let’s go.”
Photo by © Patrick Smith/Getty Images
