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By Neto Baptiste
Olympic gold medallist Thea LaFond-Gadson says she remains humbled by the impact of her historic achievement at the 2024 Paris Games on sport in Dominica.
Speaking on the Good Morning Jojo sports show, the US-based triple jumper reflected on how winning Dominica’s first-ever Olympic gold medal has helped inspire sporting development in her homeland.
“I was just a little girl following my mommy around Mahaut and spending weekends in Castle Bruce, and you look back and you’re like, little old me has this kind of influence,” she said.
LaFond-Gadson said one of the most significant developments has been the construction of an athletics track in Dominica, which is expected to form part of a wider sports campus featuring a swimming pool and accommodation for athletes.
The facility is intended to provide local athletes with improved training opportunities while enabling Dominica to host major championships and welcome international competitors.
On 3 August 2024, LaFond-Gadson made history at the Stade de France in Paris, winning the women’s triple jump with a leap of 15.02 metres to secure Dominica’s first Olympic medal. Her triumph came on the same day that St Lucia’s Julien Alfred won the women’s 100 metres, claiming her country’s first Olympic medal.
LaFond-Gadson also credited several Caribbean sporting greats for inspiring her journey, singling out Jamaican sprint legend Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Grenadian 400-metre star Kirani James.
“I think the way [Shelly-Ann] handles herself in the press, the way she gives back to her community, and, of course, her track record has just been amazing,” she said.
“On the male side, I think that Kirani James, because watching him win a gold so young and watching Grenada just swell with pride was really inspirational for me at a young age.”
She also praised Dominica’s Olympic Committee president, former international cricket umpire Billy Doctrove, for his commitment to sport and his contribution to the Olympic movement.
“Watching his true love for sports across the board and watching how he so selflessly pours back into the Olympic committee and just Dominica and athletics as a whole, that has been truly, truly near and dear to my heart,” she added.
LaFond-Gadson’s achievements have also earned her academic recognition. She received an honorary Doctor of Laws (LLD) from The University of the West Indies (UWI) at its Five Islands Campus graduation ceremony in Antigua on 10 October 2026.
She was among 13 people selected for honorary degrees by the university in 2026, in recognition of contributions across various fields.