Thea LaFond-Gadson has received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from UWI Five Islands Campus in recognition of her contribution to sport.
Dominican Olympic Champion Thea La Fond was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws(LLD) degree by the University of West Indies(UWI) Five Islands Campus on Saturday, October 11,2026.
Dominican Sports star Thea La Fond, who competes in track and field, specialized in the triple jump events was recently awarded an honorary degree in Doctor of Laws (LLD) as an ode to her historic achievements in the global competitions representing Dominica, Caribbean on international platforms. The degree was handed over to her in Antigua and Barbuda in regard to her contribution in Caribbean Sports, leadership and advocacy for women in sports.
She is also widely recognized for being the first ever citizen of Dominica to bring the country’s first ever Olympic gold medal - a gold medal in the women’s triple jump at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games with a national record leap of 15.02 meters.
She was presented with the degree by the UWI Public Orator Makeda Fleming Challenger revisiting her journey from being a small - island migrant to an Olympic Champion citing it as a result of consistent “tenacity, perseverance and Caribbean pride”.
In her acceptance speech La Fond shared a very personal experience remembering her late uncle and former Dominican President Dr. Nicholas J.O. Liverpool for being an inspiration for her in both personal and professional life.
Addressing the 2026 graduate class, she stated how each and every setback of life further strengthened her grit and ambitions to do something that not only makes her or her family proud and happy but makes the whole nation proud and happy. Using her 2016 Rio Olympic Games as an instance, she motivated the young graduates to be always ready to adapt with structural disappointments and at the same time remain fiercely determined.