Thea LaFond’s younger brother was told about her historic gold medal midway through soccer practice, sparking emotional scenes among the Navy squad.
LaFond won gold in the women’s triple jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics, becoming the first athlete to win a medal for Dominica.
His brother Chreign LaFond, a junior defensive end at the Naval Academy, was unable to watch the event due to his football commitments.
But Navy chief Brian Newberry made sure to stay informed of Thea’s fate in Paris.
In a touching clip, posted on social mediaThe coach could be seen pausing practice on Saturday and calling LaFond.
Thea LaFond’s brother found out about her historic gold medal midway through soccer practice.
LaFond triumphed in the triple jump, winning Dominica’s first medal at the Olympic Games.
“Hey,” Newberry says in front of the entire team, “your sister just won a gold medal, bro.”
This sparked wild celebrations among the team and Navy personnel, who cheered and cheered LaFond on the field.
Thea, who triumphed with a jump of 15.02m in Paris, moved to the United States from Dominica at the age of five and now lives in Maryland.
After moving to the US, LaFond trained as a dancer.
But she was forced to drop out at the age of 13 because her family could no longer afford to pay for her classes.
He discovered athletics in high school and went on to compete at the University of Maryland.
Dominica has virtually no athletic facilities, and in 2017, 90 percent of the island’s homes were damaged by Hurricane Maria, killing 31 people.
But It wasn’t the only Caribbean island to win its first Olympic medal on Saturday, as St Lucia’s Julien Alfred won the 100m title.