ALEXANDRIA, VA—When Olympic triple-jump champion Thea LaFond-Gadson walked into George Washington Middle School on Oct. 22, she did not bring the students a story of effortless success. She brought them the truth about finishing last—and choosing to keep going.
LaFond-Gadson met with members of the school’s Girls on the Run team, an after-school program that combines physical activity with lessons intended to build confidence, healthy relationships and emotional well-being. Alexandria City Public Schools reported on the visit Oct. 30.
Born in Roseau, the capital of the Caribbean island nation of Dominica, LaFond-Gadson moved to the United States with her family when she was six. They eventually settled in Silver Spring, Maryland, where she attended John F. Kennedy High School before competing for the University of Maryland. Her path from a Maryland school athlete to an Olympic champion gives the Alexandria visit another close-to-home connection, according to World Athletics and the University of Maryland…