Julien Alfred celebrates her 100m win at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (© Getty Images)
“Growing up, I used to be on the field struggling. With no shoes, running barefoot, running in my school uniform, running all over the place. I hope this gold medal will help Saint Lucia build a new stadium, to help the sport grow.”
She said she had dreamed since she was a child of becoming St Lucia’s first Olympic medallist “and it turned out to be gold”.
“I definitely knew my nation would be watching,” she said.
“I feel honoured to be an ambassador for my country. Not many people know about Saint Lucia. Sometimes people ask me where it is. Now, as an Olympic champion, people will be searching for Saint Lucia.
“I’m proud to wear my country’s name across my chest and represent them. I’m looking forward to celebrating with them when I go home.”
LaFond, who jumped a national record of 15.02m to win the triple jump, has also put Dominica on top of the podium at two global championships this year, starting with the world indoor title in Glasgow in March.
Thea LaFond in the triple jump at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games (© Getty Images)
“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,” she exclaimed.
LaFond also hopes that her triumph will result in more recognition and better facilities for the young athletes who follow her into the sport in her home country.
“We’ll start with the basics, we’re not Dominican Republic,” she told the assembled media after her victory.
“We’re about 70,000 people. It is a gorgeous gem in the Caribbean. Our neighbours also include St Lucia, Barbados, our primary language is English, and now we have an Olympic gold medal.
“Considering how my phone is going off right now, I feel it’s an understatement to say it’s a really big deal. In the indoors (championship) season we made history. Here I’m the only female representing anything in athletics for my country, and we’re leading with gold.
“Sometimes you wonder if being from a small country means you have less access to resources, but we’ve been really big on just having quality over quantity. Just executing and I hope my country is just proud. I think it’s a big deal for them.”
She began campaigning immediately for her government to build an athletics track to help the next generation to succeed in athletics.
“There is a stadium in Dominica, there is no track,” she said. “To be clear, Dominica does have an entire track blueprint that’s been set for years. There is a programme that brings facilities to countries in need. The biggest issue is getting the land allocation for this track. What I’m really hoping is this medal lights a fire under all government officials to get that one.
“I want a place where the next generation doesn’t have to go overseas to even start. I want there to be interest where the kids can just go on to the track and race each other for the fun of it. The genuine, innocent intrigue in the sport is really needed.”
Small nations, big hearts, and big athletic talent.
Nicole Jeffery for World Athletics
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Publish date : 2024-08-04 05:24:00
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