Watch: Dominica Footballer Celebrates Sister's First Olympic Gold Medal With Teammates At Training

Representing your nation at the Olympics is indeed a matter of pride for an athlete and winning a gold medal undoubtedly makes the occasion more special. Navy Midshipmen footballer Chreign LaFond felt the same when he got to learn about his sister’s achievement at the ongoing Paris Olympics. Chreign was undergoing a training session with his teammates when one of the coaching staff informed him that his sister, Thea LaFond, triumphed in the women’s triple jump event to secure the first-ever Olympic gold for her country, Dominica. The news brought immense pride and joy to Chreign who celebrated emphatically with the other members of his football club. A clip, featuring the moment, was shared on Instagram, along with a caption that read, “Here’s the moment Navy DT Chreign LaFond found out that his sister, Thea LaFond, won gold in the Triple Jump today – Dominica’s first-ever Olympic medal.”

The clip opens with Chreign LaFond in a practice session with the whole squad of Navy Midshipmen. A coaching staff suddenly called him and said, “Hey, your sister just won a gold medal.” The proud brother was evidently emotional as he shared a tight hug with one of his coaches. His teammates looked also quite happy as they started clapping and jumping around Chreign.

Thea LaFond registered 15.02 metres in the women’s triple jump final to clinch the gold medal. She was the only participant who breached the 15-metre mark in the third round. It was also a record for any track and field athlete hailing from Dominica. Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts finished second with a 14.87-metre leap while American Jasmine Moore won bronze.

Thea LaFond relocated to the United States at an early age as there were no proper track and field facilities in her homeland Dominica. She started living in New Jersey when she was five years old. Thea developed an interest in athletics during her high school days. She had competed in several sporting events at the University of Maryland. In 2013, Thea secured a spot among the top then athletes in both high jump and triple jump events at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Thea previously featured at the Tokyo and Rio Olympics. In March this year, she won the gold medal at the World Indoor Championships.