With its season opener against Bucknell just 28 days away, Navy football continued its preparations for the 2024 campaign with a practice on a customarily hot, muggy August day in Maryland.
On this day, though, the Midshipmen’s training could afford a quick, welcome and well-deserved break.
Among the Navy players on the practice field Saturday was Chreign LaFond, a junior defensive end whose older sister, Thea, was competing that day in the triple jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
As the practice continued, LaFond was called over by Midshipmen coach Brian Newberry, who had a bit of news for him.
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“Your sister just won a gold medal,” he said.
Upon getting the message, LaFond was mobbed by his teammates, with Navy capturing the heartwarming moment on video and posting it on social media.
Representing the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, where she was born, Thea LaFond earned the gold medal with a national record jump of 15.02 meters, besting silver medalist Shanieka Ricketts of Jamaica and her jump of 14.87 meters.
LaFond’s medal was the first in Dominica’s Olympic history. A track and field standout at the University of Maryland from 2012-16, LaFond had previously competed at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro and 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Chreign LaFond, whose listed hometown on the Navy roster is Silver Spring, Maryland, played in seven games last season for the Midshipmen, had two tackles in 2023, including 0.5 for loss, and one quarterback hurry.
