St Lucia experienced a moment of immense national pride, as the island nation secured its first-ever Olympic medals in spectacular fashion. Julien Alfred became a household name after she clinched gold in the women’s 100m, blazing across the finish line in a remarkable 10.72 seconds, breaking her own national record and earning St Lucia its first Olympic gold. Alfred’s incredible speed nearly led her to a double triumph, but she settled for silver in the women’s 200m, clocking a commendable 22.08 seconds. These achievements not only catapulted Alfred into the spotlight but also marked a historic milestone for St Lucia, a small island nation now basking in the glory of its Olympic success.
Dominica also had its first taste of Olympic victory, thanks to the outstanding performance of Thea LaFond. Competing in the women’s triple jump, LaFond delivered a stunning leap of 15.02m, breaking the national record and securing Dominica’s first-ever Olympic gold medal. LaFond’s triumph in Paris resonated deeply within the nation, bringing joy and pride to Dominicans worldwide.
Grenada, a nation with a rich Olympic history, added to its growing medal tally with two more bronze medals. Anderson Peters, a seasoned javelin thrower, once again demonstrated his prowess by securing bronze in the men’s javelin throw with an impressive distance of 88.54m. Lindon Victor further bolstered Grenada’s standing with a hard-fought bronze in the men’s decathlon, excelling across 10 grueling events to earn his place on the podium.
It was the first time that the Spice Island had won multiple medals at the same Olympic Games. These achievements continued Grenada’s tradition of Olympic success, adding new chapters to the island’s storied athletic history.
Jamaica, a nation synonymous with sprinting dominance, experienced a shift in its Olympic narrative at the 2024 Games, with the majority of its six medals coming from field events. Roje Stona led the charge, breaking the Olympic record in the men’s discus throw with a colossal throw of 70.00m, securing Jamaica’s first and only gold medal of the Games. Wayne Pinnock contributed to the island’s medal haul with a silver in the men’s long jump, leaping an impressive 8.36m. Rajindra Campbell added to the field event success with a bronze in the men’s shot put, delivering a powerful throw of 22.15m.
Shanieka Ricketts also created history when she won the silver medal in the triple jump, securing Jamaica’s first ever medal in the field at an Olympic Games.
In addition to their field event successes, Jamaica’s sprinters also made their mark. Kishane Thompson, a rising star in the sprinting world, claimed silver in the men’s 100m with a blistering time of 9.79 seconds, a result determined by a photo finish that showcased the razor-thin margins of victory at the highest level.
Rasheed Broadbell added to Jamaica’s sprinting legacy by earning a bronze in the 110m hurdles, clocking a season-best 13.09 seconds in another photo finish that highlighted the intense competition in Paris.
The 2024 Paris Olympics will be remembered as a landmark event for the Caribbean, where athletes from St Lucia, Dominica, Grenada, and Jamaica not only created history but also underscored the region’s growing influence in global athletics. These remarkable performances brought immense pride to their nations and showcased the Caribbean’s burgeoning talent and determination on the world stage. As the athletes returned home, they carried with them not just medals, but also the hopes and dreams of their countries, inspiring future generations to strive for greatness.
James, the 2012 Olympic champion and three-time medalist, has been confirmed for the LA Grand Prix on Saturday, May 18, at the Drake Stadium in Los Angeles, California. This will be his second race of the season having opened at the USATF Bermuda Grand Prix on April 28.
Meanwhile, Victor, a decathlete, will take part in the Hypo Meeting at the Mosle Stadium in Gotzis, Austria, from Saturday, May 18 to Sunday, May 19.
The Hypo Meeting is a World-Athletics organized combined events gold level meet that features the world’s top heptathletes and decathletes in two days of grueling competition.
Victor, a two-time Commonwealth Games gold medalist and the holder of several national records for Grenada has his sights set on the 2024 Paris Olympics where he will make his third Olympic appearance for the Spice Island.
Following competition in Austria, Victor will fly home to Grenada where he will contest the long jump and the 100m at the Grenada Invitational on June 6.
The three-time Olympian and 2007 World Championship silver medallist, who has since transitioned into a career in music, released his latest work, Revolution, on June 15 on his Instagram page. This, he said, is his way of joining the protests.
Listen to the song HERE.
“I don’t want to be directly in the midst of that, but if I can let my voice be heard in the midst of it then that is how I want to do it and I want to do that with my music,” said Smith, who uses the name Deca for his music career.
The 2007 Pan American champion lives in the United States where George Floyd was killed on May 25 after a police officer kneeled on his neck for eight-minutes and 46 seconds sparking protests that eventually went global.
“The George Floyd video was very hard for me to watch. It took me a while before I was able to look at the whole thing. To see the man on the ground with the police officer kneeling on his neck, you really felt what that man was going through, crying out for his mother. That was a very emotional thing for me to watch and seeing that people are standing right next to it, watching it and can’t even do anything about it because they are scared about losing their lives as well,” he said.
“It just made me want to do something; let my voice be heard in some way, somehow without being directly in the midst of the protests and everything, so hopefully the energy that the song is bringing will connect with the people.”
Revolution, he said, produced by GraciousKeyz, is all about supporting the cause. The acts of injustice that are being recorded across the globe and more specifically in the United States and Jamaica are not new but he wanted the song to help bring greater awareness.
“As a black man, we need to reach out more to people. It seems like we are trying to unite right now because as a people we are stronger and I just want people to hear the song and feel the energy and make them want to unite and stand up against the injustice that has been affecting our people for generations,” he said.
“It is happening a lot in my country too, so as an Olympian, who is now a recording artist this is my way of speaking up, letting my voice be heard.”
Smith said that because the song is not about commercial success, it is only available for viewing on his Instagram Page and IGTV @Decajams. However, in time he plans to release it on other digital platforms in the near future.
“This song is not about me, it’s about connecting to the emotions of the people based on what is happening right now, not just in this country but across the world. I will make it available for download for everyone”
The 30-year-old two-time Commonwealth champion took home the country’s first ever major championship medal in the event with a national record 8756 points.
Canada’s Pierce LePage and Damian Warner took gold and silver with 8909 points and 8804 points, respectively.
