Capping off what was a banner day at the track for women from small Caribbean nations, Dominica’s Thea LaFond followed up on her World Indoor title by striking Olympic gold in the triple jump, leaping 15.02m. Her winning effort came on her second jump, same as silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts (14.87m) and bronze medalist Jasmine Moore (14.67m). With only one medalist from Tokyo a part of the field, and rainy conditions on the runway, this was an event ripe for a shakeup. And both Ricketts and Moore – also competing in the long jump next week – hit season’s bests when it mattered most.

Here’s what you need to know:

- Strikingly similar to Julien Alfred’s history-making first ever medal for St. Lucia, LaFond’s medal is the first in Olympic history for Dominica, in any sport. The island nation of less than 75,000 people has sent 26 athletes to the Olympics since its first in 1996.

- This is Ricketts’s third global silver medal. She also placed second at the World Championships in Eugene in 2022 and Doha in 2019.

- Moore’s bronze medal is the first of any color won by an American woman in the triple jump since it was introduced to the Olympic program in 1996. She joins Tori Franklin as the only other American woman to win any global medal in the event outdoors – Franklin claimed bronze in Eugene in 2022.

- Leyanis Pérez-Hernández of Cuba, undefeated all outdoor season and the favorite coming into Olympic competition, finished in fifth, directly behind her countrywoman Liadagmis Povea Rodriguez. Pérez-Hernández had to contend with a slight but pesky headwind after getting off to a strong start: her jump of 14.62m put her in first place after the opening round.

Here's what they said:

"Considering how my phone is going off right now, I feel like it’s an understatement to say it’s a really big deal. Indoor season, I made history. I was the only one at Indoor Worlds for my country and we came away with gold. Here, I’m the only female representing anything in athletics for my country and we’re leading with gold."

- Thea Lafond on winning the first Olympic medal in Dominican history.

"One of the biggest influences and motivations was my coach and husband, he came to me and said, 'Listen, there is a torrential downpour coming in 20 minutes. You have to do something big now because the weather is not going to be on your side'... I knew that despite how that first jump felt, despite how qualifiers felt, we had to put it together right then and there."

- Lafond on what went into her 15.02m winning jump.

"To finish 4th in Tokyo, I was very disappointed, and I think that motivated me to just keep working harder and know that once you get into an Olympic final it's all about fighting. Everyone's capable of jumping great distances, it's just about showing up on the day and giving it your best shot. Hopefully you'll be on the podium."

- Shanieka Ricketts on how finishing just off the podium in 2021 shaped her mindset coming into these Olympics.

By The Numbers:

- Lafond is the only Dominican triple jumper to ever surpass 13.30m. If you look at World Athletics' top list for women's triple jump in Dominica, Lafond is the only name that appears due to WA's cut-off distance.

- Prior to Lafond's win tonight, the best finish by a Dominican Olympic athlete was shared by Lafond's 12th-place finish in Tokyo and fellow triple jumper Jerome Romain's 12th-place finish at Atlanta 1996.

- After tonight, Ricketts now owns three of the four global medals won by a Jamaican woman in this event outdoors.

- Moore's medal, the first by an American woman in this event at the Olympics, is the third overall by an American. Tori Franklin won World bronze in 2022 and Tiombe Hurd won World Indoor bronze in 2001.

Full results:

1. 🇩🇲 Thea LaFond - 15.02m NR

2. 🇯🇲 Shanieka Ricketts - 14.87m

3. 🇺🇸 Jasmine Moore - 14.67m

4. 🇨🇺 Liadagmis Povea Rodriguez - 14.64m

5. 🇨🇺Leyanis Pérez-Hernández - 14.62m

6. 🇪🇸Ana Peleteiro-Compaoré - 14.59m

7. 🇯🇲Ackelia Smith - 14.42m

8. 🇮🇹Dariya Derkach - 14.14m

9. 🇺🇸Keturah Orji - 14.05m

10. 🇷🇴Elena Andreea Taloş - 14.03m

11. 🇺🇦Maryna Bekh-Romanchuk - 13.98m

12. 🇫🇷Ilionis Guillaume - 13.78m

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