Thea LaFond wins triple jump to bring Dominica first ever Olympic gold medal

PARIS — Thea LaFond made history for the Caribbean island nation of Dominica by winning gold in the triple jump on Saturday to claim the country’s first-ever Olympic medal.

Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts took silver and American Jasmine Moore claimed bronze. LaFond was the woman to beat after her second attempt of 15.02 metres – a world best this year – and it proved impossible to better, with rain also making conditions more treacherous.

“This is for you guys,” said LaFond, draped in the flag of Dominica, which has a population of just over 70,000, after celebrating wildly in the Stade de France. “We don’t often have a lot to celebrate, we’re amazing people… and this is the first time in history, this is a ground-breaking celebration.”