Dominica honoured and celebrated Thea Lafond Gadson, the island’s historic Olympic gold champion, through the forty sixth Independence Day ceremonies.
Lafond arrived on stage sporting a conventional “Madras Print” apparel, escorted by Billy Doctrove, President of the Dominica Olympic Committee, and accepted the accolade from President Sylvanie Burton.
President Burton hugged her after bestowing the distinguished distinction on Thea Lafond, demonstrating Dominican ladies’s empowerment.
Notably, Lafond created historical past on the 2024 Summer time Olympics in Paris by taking residence the Commonwealth of Dominica’s first-ever gold medal within the Triple Soar division. Her victory cemented her identify in historical past and garnered nationwide, regional, and worldwide consideration.
Since she was sixteen years previous, Thea Lafond has represented Dominica on worldwide levels. She can also be a world champion and the indoor gold medallist for World Athletics.
Through the years, Thea Lafond has received greater than 14 main medals in worldwide occasions. Prime Minister Dr. Roosevelt Skerrit additionally featured her picture on the Independence Day graphic.
Thea Lafond additionally printed footage from the ceremony and wrote, “At this time, I obtained the Nationwide Award,” on her Instagram after receiving her honour on the Independence Day festivities.
Since her momentous victory, Lafond has grow to be a world and Dominican icon for younger ladies.
Lafond and her husband, coach Aaron Gadson, reside in Maryland, USA, the place they have been married in 2022.
She additionally earned a bronze medal whereas competing for Dominica on the 2018 Commonwealth Video games in Australia and positioned third on the NACAC Championship in Toronto, Canada, in the identical yr.
Regardless of being the flag bearer and representing Dominica on the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, Lafond completed twelfth place.
Thea Lafond received the 2024 World Indoor Championships in Glasgow, UK, with a record-breaking triple leap of 15.01 meters earlier than profitable the Olympics.
