Dominican triple jump star and reigning Olympic gold medalist Thea Lafond Gadson has added another landmark achievement to her already storied athletic career, claiming top honors at the World Athletics Continental Tour Golden Meeting in Zagreb, Croatia Friday while rewriting multiple record books. Competing against a field of elite international jumpers, Lafond Gadson delivered her career-defining leap on her sixth and final attempt of the competition, launching herself 15.25 meters to take the win. This stunning distance not only betters the 15.02-meter Dominican national record she set at the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics, but also clinches the world’s leading jump mark for the current 2026 season and marks a new personal best for the athlete, according to updates shared by Panam Sports via its official Facebook page. Beyond the national and seasonal accolades, the jump also shattered the previous meeting record for the Zagreb WACT Golden event, and pushed Lafond Gadson into an exclusive group: she now ranks among the top 10 women’s triple jump athletes in world history for the longest recorded jumps. As first reported via the Rice Man Facebook page, which shared details of the groundbreaking performance, this latest win solidifies Lafond Gadson’s standing as one of the most formidable triple jump competitors on the global circuit. More than a personal victory, the historic leap marks another high-profile moment of pride for the small Caribbean nation of Dominica, which continues to see its name elevated on the international athletics stage thanks to Lafond Gadson’s consistent, world-class performances.
Thea Lafond Gadson breaks national record with historic triple jump victory in Croatia
