Dominica wins first medal at 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games

Thea Lafond proudly carries the Dominica flag. Photo credit: Garvin Richards – press attaché
National record holder in the Women’s Triple Jump event and world-ranked number 3, Thea Lafond, secured Dominica’s first medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games Friday evening in the Women’s Triple Jump event.

Lafond started off strong getting a jump of 14.39 meters in her first attempt to put her in second place at the end of round one. The tone for the rest of the competition was set, as Lafond and the rest of the pack knew that they would need to better the Commonwealth Games record after Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts smashed the record with her first jump of 14.94 meters.

Lafond, in her second leap, missed her run-up, and took off before the board, registering a leap of 13.70 meters.

Lafond, in her pursuit of 14.94 on her third attempt, got 14.19 meters which comfortably secured her spot in the medal round.

In her first jump in the medal round, she leapt 14.25 meters.

In her second jump, still chasing the 14.94 set by Ricketts, Lafond recorded a leap of 14.04 meters.

It came down to the final jump with Lafond needing 14.95 to secure the gold medal and also needing to pay attention to England’s Naomi Metzger who was just two centimeters behind her in third place.

Lafond, however, fouled her final attempt.

Despite the foul, she was able to hold on to the 2nd position to win the Silver Medal, her second Commonwealth Games Medal.

The event was won by defending Commonwealth Games Champion Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica who set a new games record of 14.94 meters.

Lafond placed second and Metzger Third.

Please see attached link with Interviews with Thea Lafond, President of the Dominica Athletics Association Brendan Williams, President of the Dominica Commonwealth Games Association Billy Doctrove and Thea Lafond’s Father Dorian Lafond.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

15 Comments

  1. Poly Sye
    August 7, 2022

    Congratulations to Thea, keep on putting in the work you can only get better.
    I am watching the games and asking myself what does Jamaica, Bahamas, Barbados have when it comes to talent that Dominica doesn’t have. The answer is “nothing”. What’s lacking are the training facilities, the desire to do something about sports in Dominica and the money to make it all happen. Sports could act as another avenue towards getting Dominica international exposure which translate into increase tourism and foreign investment/exchange.

  2. Charles
    August 7, 2022

    Congratulations Thea well done. The sky’s the limit, bring home the silver aim for the gold, you can and will. Hip-hip :lol:

  3. Francisco Etinne-Dods Telemaque
    August 7, 2022

    I knew you had the potential!
    With better training it’s only a matter of time where the sky’s shall be your limits.
    I don’t usually give credit to most Dominicans for any, but in your case, I great potential, you are going to become an international professional athlete.
    Congratulations, and I sincerely mean congratulation!

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 8 Thumb down 3
    • Francisco Etinne-Dods Telemaque
      August 7, 2022

      There are two errors in my comments, I don’t give credit to most Dominicans for anything!
      I also meant ‘in your case I see great potential.’

    • Proud for Thea
      August 7, 2022

      You’re not Francisco. At least if you’re going to fake it learn to spell the man’s name. That’s just low of you. Couldn’t you just congratulate the lady and not stoop so low. Shame on you!!

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        August 8, 2022

        “Proud for Thea:”

        It is I the Wesley kid who who wrote the comment; Indeed after I submitted it I discovered two errors; which I corrected; nevertheless; I did not see my mid name “Etienne” written incorrectly.
        Normally, when one use certain kinds of equipment to submit comments, if a registered name or E-mail is incorrect, when the comment is submitted; the site would hold the post and direct the person to “go back ” to make corrections.
        This time the site did not do what it is programmed to do, then it could have recognized it as simply as a correct way to spell Etienne.

        Boy, if it was an impersonator; I would be rising hell screaming out of my head.
        Anyway I am very happy over the young lady performance, there is greatness within her; Dominicans like to dance and prance as soon as Roosevelt make them a lying promise, but now we have something to celebrate the streets of Dominica are empty!

  4. Jonathan Y St Jean
    August 6, 2022

    Humongous congratulations to Thea Lafond for making Dominicans proud with her silver medal performance at the Commonwealth games. I hope you continue having success as it will motivate others. Good luck, Thea.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 11 Thumb down 0
  5. Gerard Benjamin
    August 6, 2022

    Well deserved Miss Lafond. Your persistence and perseverance has finally paid off and has become a parable to all of us: never give up. May all Dominicans including the naysayers of our athletes, celebrate your phenomenal achievement.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 10 Thumb down 0
  6. Roland Alan Mitchell
    August 6, 2022

    Well done Thea Lafond.
    I was watching the games in Kent, and thought that St Lucia, St Kitts and Nevis , Barbados, Antigua, Grenada and Trinidad and Tobago and of course Jamaica, were all doing something, but no Dominica.

    Then Solange Dewhurst told me that we had someone doing long Jump called La Fond. I thought that I know that surname. In the 1970’s there was a La Fond playing cricket. A handsome mulatto man, good cricketer.

    Well done lady. You have done us proud. I know that Dominica has no money for athletics. Maybe it is time we help Mr Billy Doctrove to fund an athletics track at say, Lindo Park, if Mr Skerrit will allow it.

    It is just a thought, but we must combine our resources to put Dominica on the map.
    I have read in a book by Dr Eric Williams ( Capitalism and Slavery), that Dominica imported £1,469,748 from England from (1714 -1773).
    Lennox Honeychurch claims that at one point Dominica had 64 water mills for grinding sugar cane.

    This shows that Dominica…

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 12 Thumb down 0
    • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
      August 9, 2022

      I did not read Erick Williams book, nor do I know where Lennox statics came from; but what I do remember as told through handed-down history, listening to my elders is that Dominica was one of the most industrial and progressive island in the Caribbean.
      In that era Dominica was part of the Leeward islands.
      And so Dominica was a pull for people from the other islands, from Jamaica, in the North, to Guyana in the South, with absolutely no exception!

      The Londonderry, Woodford Hill, Melville Hall, Castle Bruce, Hamestead, Blenheim, and Hatten Garden Estates were owned by British, during and after slavery.
      The immigration to Dominica took place after slavery, but even in the late 1940’s: Pottery products, the forming of vessels and other objects with clay and other ceramic materials, which are fired at high temperatures to give them a hard and durable form were manufactured on the Londonderry Estate in Wesley I must say.

      • Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque
        August 9, 2022

        Con:
        In addition to the pottery industry, we produced sugar; they distilled rum also and shipped along with cotton nutmeg, cinnamon spice to England.

        Lime, oranges and grapefruits was in abundance, even into the early 1960’s L Rose & Co shipped processed citrus to England.

        Ships would call from England, in Ports at Marigot, Walkers Rest Bay in Wesley, and to my knowledge Woodford Hill Bay.
        Time may have taken its tole, but some of us old enough will remember the old Wenches, that was erected at certain location at Walkers Rest Bay and used for the loading of Cargo on the ships to be taken England.
        There were also some at Woodford Hill Bay.

        What change causing Dominica to be in this miserable state today only God knows!
        Out of the immigration to Dominica, the village of Wesley and Marigot was born, that’s why our people are different; different accent, and very well educated as education in Dominica started on the the Londonderry Estate.

  7. UKDominican
    August 6, 2022

    Congratulations to Thea. Finally something to celebrate. I had nearly given up hope. Thank you very much.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 26 Thumb down 0
  8. Garçon
    August 6, 2022

    Congratulations Miss Lafond. You have certainly made all Dominicans proud.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 0
  9. Ibo France
    August 5, 2022

    Wow! Big congratulations to The a Marine for capturing the silver medal for herself and all Dominicans.

    Hope that this effort would convince the powers that be that Dominicans have the talent but need proper facilities and adequate resources to compete with the best around the world.

    Well-loved. Like or Dislike: Thumb up 17 Thumb down 4

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available