MM 8.5: Thea LaFond becomes first former Terp athlete to win Olympic gold medal since 1988

This is a Maryland Minute, a short story followed by a roundup of Terps-related news.

Former Maryland track & field standout Thea LaFond made history Saturday when she took home the gold medal for triple jump at the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

She did so representing Dominica, the small Caribbean country where LaFond was born. It’s the first Olympic medal in the country’s history, and the first gold medal for a former Terp student-athlete since 1988.

LaFond was a member of Maryland’s track & field team from 2012-15. She was the Big Ten Field Athlete of the Year in 2015, also winning multiple All-America honors that year. She finished in 10th place for triple jump and eighth for high jump at the 2013 NCAA Championships.

LaFond also competed at the 2016 and 2020 Summer Olympics in triple jump, finishing 37th and 12th at each competition, respectively.

In other news

Maryland football secured a big addition Saturday when four-star offensive lineman Jaylen Gilchrist committed to the Terps. Gilchrist is the No. 96 player and No. 5 interior offensive lineman in the Class of 2025, according to the 247Sports Composite. Colin McNamara had the story.

Former Maryland men’s basketball player Bruno Fernando signed a one-year deal with the Toronto Raptors Sunday. Fernando spent last season with the Atlanta Hawks, averaging 6.3 points per game in 15.2 minutes per game over 45 appearances.

Former Maryland baseball standout Matt Shaw was promoted to Triple-A Sunday, just over a year after he was drafted 13th overall by the Chicago Cubs in the 2023 MLB draft. Shaw was hitting .279 with 14 home runs over 85 games in Double-A.

Former Maryland women’s basketball star Alyssa Thomas helped guide Team USA to an 87-68 win over Germany at the Olympics Sunday. Thomas scored six points off the bench.