Thea LaFond Earns Top Finish at World Athletics Championships
7/19/2022 10:23:00 AM | Track & Field
EUGENE, OR -- Terrapin alumna Thea LaFond competed in the triple jump finals on Monday night at the World Athletics World Championships - earning a top five result - and becoming the highest ever Terrapin finisher at the World Athletics Championships.
LaFond continued her success in the triple jump this weekend, as she opened her campaign on Saturday jumping to a mark of 14.39m . The mark earned her a spot competing in the finals on Monday night. Thea LaFond's jump of 14.56m on Monday earned a fifth place finish in finals, leading LaFond to become the first alumna of Maryland women's track and field to earn a top five finish at the championships. Fellow Terp alumna Chioma Onyekwere also competed Monday evening in the women's discus throw, representing Nigeria.
It is the first time since 1990 that a Terp earned a top five finish on the world stage when Mark Coogan took fourth place in the 3000m steeplechase at the Helinski World Games. It is also the first time a Terp took a top five finish at a World event since Renaldo Nehemiah took the gold medal in the 110m hurdles in 1979 at the World Cup. Nehemiah also placed 1st in the 110 hurdles at the Pan American Games.
In addition to being the top Terrapin finisher in the World Athletics Championships, LaFond is the top ever finisher in any worlds competition from the women's track and field program.
Full results from the triple jump and the World Athletics Championships can be found here.
Action from Eugene will continue throughout the coming week, and Terrapin alumna Micha Powell will be next up to compete this Saturday, as she takes on the 4x400 relay representing Canada.
