LaFond, the 2022 NACAC champion is targetting big goals this summer.
Thea LaFond is gearing up for another successful season after achieving remarkable success last year. LaFond, who is based in Ashburn, Virginia, is excited to see how her hard work during the offseason will translate into her performances this year.
The year 2022 was a massive one for the 29-year-old LaFond, who won gold at the NACAC Championships in The Bahamas and a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games Birmingham, England. She was also fifth in the finals at the World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Oregon. However, with that success she has no intention of resting on her laurels as the 2023 season continues to unfold.
"Last season's medals were truly an amazing experience," she told Sportsmax.TV. "To build on last year's success, I have gotten stronger and faster, and I'm eager to see how that translates through the season."
LaFond has set her sights on achieving a jump of 15m or more this year.
"15m plus is definitely one of the major goals for championships and beyond," she said. "This season, we are really focused on upping the energy and working on timing up the phases a bit better for even bigger and active contacts in the jumps."
Despite fierce competition from the imperious Venezuelan triple jumper, three-time world champion Yulimar Rojas, the current world record holder, who has dominated the event in recent years, LaFond maintains a positive mindset.
"I think that my mentality is that I am always battling it out for three medals. Always," said LaFond. "Rojas is very good, there is no denying that, but anything can happen at any meet. Coming into a competition with anything less of that mentality is setting yourself up for failure. I'm bringing my best and trying to win."
Despite the hard work put in during the off season, her indoor season-opener of 14.08m at the Don Kirby Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico was less than impressive but being a quick study, she made the necessary adjustments and did much better shortly thereafter popping a 14.60m jump. She cited approach issues for the relatively poor opener.
"One of the major takeaways was to be patient in my drive phase and to bring my knee higher so I'm not getting over-rotated in my second phase," said LaFond who is set to compete next in May at a meet in Savona, Italy.
She acknowledges the impact her recent success has had on the youth of Dominica and is grateful for their support.
“The Commonwealth and NACAC medals were received with such joy in Dominica. I think that as an athlete that lives and trains abroad, I’m really only privy to what people say online,” she said.
“I was grateful for the online posts of love and support that followed those medals. However, when I finally got to go home the love was overflowing. I really had no clue how much I impacted the youth of Dominica and how much I was seen as an inspiration. I am so grateful to have the support of my people and it is always an honor to represent my nation.”
LaFond is also focused on the upcoming World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, with her coach Aaron Gadson. "My plans for Budapest are to go and compete with all my heart. The goal is a medal and 15m. It's time for Dominica to have a woman World medalist, and I'm ready to do the work to get there," she said.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Jereem Richards takes 200m silver as Caribbean athletes struggle in Florence; Kipyegon shatters women's 1500m WR
It was not a good night for Caribbean athletes at the Florence Diamond League Meeting in Italy on Friday as only Jereem Richards managed to achieve a podium at the meet where Faith Kipyegon shattered the 1500m world record.
The Trinidadian ran 20.28 for second place in the 200m won by American teenager Erriyon Knighton, who clocked a season-best 19.89. Canada’s Aaron Brown who was third in 20.32.
World championship silver medallist, Femke Bol continues to demonstrate that she could present a challenge to world champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone this summer, when she shattered Lashina Demus’ 13-year-old meet record of 52.82 in the 400m hurdles.
The Dutch star clocked 52.43, which was also the fastest time in the world this year.
Shamier Little who won in Rabat last week was almost a second behind in 53.38 while heptathlete Anna Hall finished third in a personal best time of 53.42. Jamaica’s Rushell Clayton, who challenged early faded badly over the last 200m and finished sixth on 54.71. She was the only athlete in the race who didn’t achieve either a personal or season-best time.
Marie Josee Ta Lou ran out an easy winner in the 100m, winning in 10.97. Finishing second was European champion Gina Luckenkemper, who clocked 11.09. The in-form British athlete Imani Lansiquot was third in 11.16.
Her compatriot Dina Asher-Smith was a late withdrawal.
Yohan Blake was seventh in the 100m won by Fred Kerley, who clocked 9.93 to remain unbeaten in the blue-ribbon sprint this year. Ferdinand Omanyala was second in 10.05, the Kenyan edging Trayvon Brommel who was third in 10.09. Blake clocked 10.15.
Grant Holloway ran 13.04 to hold on for a close win in the 110m hurdles over a fast-finishing Jason Joseph of Switzerland, who set a new personal best and national record of 13.10. Devon Allen was third in 13.19.
Poland’s Natalia Kaczmarek won the 400m in 50.41, a season best, beating Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands, who also achieved a season’s best time of 50.75. The USA’s Lynna Irby-Jackson was third in 50.84.
The best-placed Caribbean athlete was Cuba’s Roxana Gomez, who was fourth in 51.29 while Guyana’s Aliyah Abrahms in 51.31.
Kipyegon ended the meet on a high establishing new 1500m World Record of 3:49.11. Laura Muir was second in 3:57.09 while Australia's Jessica Hull was third in a new Area record of 3:57.29.
Carifta Under-20 discus champion Abigail Martin to attend Texas A&M University
Jamaican discus thrower Abigail Martin will get to display her skills on the NCAA circuit next season after committing to Texas A&M University, the school announced on Thursday.
“A good one for the throws squad,” the school posted on Instagram.
Martin, currently at St. Jago, has a personal best in the event of 55.87m done at the JAAA Budapest Quest meet at the National Stadium in Kingston on May 27.
The 19-year-old took discuss silver in the Class 1 Girls event at the ISSA Grace Kennedy Boys and Girls Championships in March before, a week later, winning Under-20 gold at the Carifta Games in the Bahamas.
Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake withdraw but still plenty to look forward to at Racers Grand Prix
Oblique Seville and Ackeem Blake have been withdrawn from this weekend’s Racers Grand Prix at the National Stadium in Kingston.
Fresh off his lifetime best 9.89 while defeating Coleman at last weekend’s LA Grand Prix there was much anticipation for the rematch between Blake and the American this coming Saturday.
Blake ran a personal best of 9.89 to defeat Coleman (9.91) but according to his coaches, the 22-year-old sprinter was a bit sore after that run and only managed to resume training on Wednesday. As a result, they have taken a decision to withdraw him from the meet as a precaution.
Seville, reliable sources have said, suffered a hamstring injury in training and won’t run on Saturday. Calls to his coach Glen Mills went unanswered but Seville’s name was not among the remaining names on the men’s 100m start list for Saturday’s meet.
Notwithstanding their absence, there is still plenty to look forward to at the meet that will feature World 200m champions Noah Lyles and Shericka Jackson, Zharnel Hughes and Wayde van Niekerk.
There is also a potential mouth-watering clash between the 2022 100m hurdles world champion and world record holder Tobi Amusan of Nigeria and teenage sensation, World U20 Champion and U20 world record holder Kerrica Hill.
Commonwealth Games champion Rasheed Broadbell and Olympic Champion will go head-to-head in the men’s sprint hurdles.
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