The Institute of Caribbean Studies (ICS) is pleased to announce that Thea La Fond Gadson, winner of the first Olympic Gold Medal for Dominica will receive the Excellence in Sports Award at the upcoming 31st Annual Caribbean American Heritage (CARAH) Awards Gala.
This prestigious event, themed “A Celebration of Excellence and Service” is scheduled for Friday, November 15th, 2024, at the JW Marriott in Washington, DC. The occasion is dedicated to recognizing the exceptional achievements and groundbreaking contributions of Caribbean American leaders across various sectors, including Health Care, Entrepreneurship, Public Service and Community Service, who have become beacons of inspiration for current and future generations.
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Thea LaFond Gadson is a Dominican Born, Maryland raised Olympic Champion. After migrating to the United States with her family at the age of 5, she fell in love with dance. 8 years later, her friends talked her into joining the John F. Kennedy High School track team under head coach Kevin Monroe. It was in high school that Thea first began to compete for her home country of Dominica at the youth level.
She is a 4x Carifta Games medalist in the high and triple jump. She also is a 9x Maryland State Champion, holding titles in the 100 hurdles, 55 meter hurdles, long jump, high jump, and triple jump. Due to her success she amassed a crate full of scholarship offers and letters from universities. Eventually, she settled on the University of Maryland (UMD) with a full ride offer under head coach Andrew Valmon and jumps coach Frank Costello.
She enrolled in the fall of 2011 and graduated in 2015 with a bachelors in International Studies with a minor in Public Health. At UMD she became a standout in the multi events, high jump, hurdles, long jump, and triple jump. Thea became 6x All American, 1x conference Athlete of the Year. 4x conference champion, 2x conference record holder, and a 4x school record holder.
After graduation, she met Aaron Gadson(coach and husband) who led her to numerous medals (2x Commonwealth games, 1x Pan American games, 1x North American and Central American and Caribbean Champion) including Dominica’s first Commonwealth games medal.
In 2024 he led her to Dominica’s first World Indoor Title (15.01m). Soon after the 2024 World Indoors Championships in March, Thea learned she had a serious knee injury and was advised to either shut down her Olympic plans or push through the injury. She decided to push through in hopes of keeping her Olympic dreams alive. Three months later Thea would win Gold at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games to bring home Dominica’s first Olympic medal in a new personal best and a Dominican National Record (15.02m).
