Dominican LaFond appointed to prestigious World Athletics Commission

TOKYO, Japan (CMC):

In a significant recognition of her standing among her peers, Dominica's world champion triple jumper Thea LaFond has been elected to the World Athletics Athletes' Commission.

The election results were announced during the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 25, with LaFond earning 1,293 votes to secure one of the six available seats for the 2025-2029 term.

Her appointment highlights the high regard and respect she commands from fellow athletes worldwide.

The news adds to a triumphant week for LaFond, who recently won a silver medal in Tokyo, powerfully signalling her return to top form after surgery last year.

The importance of LaFond's new role was immediately underscored by Billy Doctrove, President of the Dominica Olympic Association.

"I want to first congratulate Thea on her silver medal performance, which shows that she is well on her way back," Doctrove said.

"I also would like to congratulate her on her election as a member of the Athletes' Commission of World Athletics. I think it's a major appointment for Thea and Dominica."

The Athletes' Commission is a crucial body within World Athletics, ensuring that competitors' voices are directly heard in the sport's governance.

Since 2019, the Commission's Chair and one other member have held full voting rights on the World Athletics Council, the sport's primary decision-making body.

LaFond was elected alongside five other athletes: Andreas Almgren (Sweden, Lia Apostolovski (Slovenia), re-elected member Lisanne de Witte (Netherlands), re-elected member Anna Ryzhykova (Ukraine), and Gia Trevisan (Italy).

The election saw a record participation rate of 95.5 per cent from accredited athletes.

For LaFond, this appointment positions her as a key representative for athletes globally as she continues to excel on the world stage, with expectations high for her performance at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.