Olympic gold medalist Thea Lafond has added another prestigious honor to her remarkable career. She has earned induction into the University of Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame.
The Silver Spring native made history at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, winning gold in the triple jump with a Dominican national record. The victory made her the first Maryland track and field alum to win an Olympic medal. Lafond also secured the first Olympic medal in the history of Dominica.
Before becoming an Olympic champion, LaFond competed in track and field at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring. Lafond went on to Maryland where she was dominant in every event she participated in.
A seven-time NCAA All-American, she excelled in the triple jump, high jump, pentathlon, hurdles and long jump. LaFond was named the 2015 Big Ten Women’s Field Athlete of the Year and Field Athlete of the Championships.
𝓕𝓸𝓻𝓮𝓿𝓮𝓻 𝓔𝓷𝓼𝓱𝓻𝓲𝓷𝓮𝓭
Congrats to Thea LaFond on your induction into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame 🐢
📰 https://t.co/h59GXmosP7 pic.twitter.com/tyR003fgRC
— Maryland Track & Field (@MarylandTrack) June 11, 2026
Lafond continues to hold the school’s outdoor triple jump record at 13.48 meters and ranks among the program’s all-time leaders in numerous events.
The Hall of Fame induction ceremony will be held on Friday, October 16, 2026 at the Samuel Riggs IV Alumni Center in College Park.
