Jasmine Moore becomes the first American woman to win a triple jump medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
According to NBC DFW, the 23-year-old began with a standout jump of 14.67 meters, the season’s best. After more than 30 jumps and a brief rain delay, Moore ultimately won the bronze medal with her third attempt.
“I’m just so thankful,” Moore said following her victory lap on the track, per NBC DFW. “It was just so amazing having my family here to see this.”
“I just give all glory to God. I mean, when I saw that I had won, I was just trying to stay cool. But I really wanted to cry. I’m just so thankful,” she added.
Etched her name in history 🇺🇸@Jasmineemoo is the first American woman to win an Olympic medal in the triple jump!#ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/ILc8rSNCzZ
— Team USA (@TeamUSA) August 3, 2024
Moore revealed that she initially considered withdrawing from both the triple and long jump competitions but credited her coaches and family as her support system.
“I almost didn’t even do both. Like two weeks before the Olympics, I started asking my coach if maybe I shouldn’t do it and maybe just focus on one and not both,” Moore explained. “So, I was very thankful, and of course, you know, to have my whole family here, Coach Knit, Coach Matt, like all my support system, even back at home in DFW, Coach Jones, Coach Kenny. Like, I could just shout out everyone, really, but just super thankful for everyone that’s been rooting for me.”
In addition to the former Florida Gator’s achievements, Dominica’s Thea Lafond won gold with a 15.02 jump, and Jamaica’s Shanieka Ricketts took bronze at 14.87. Lafond said winning gold for her homeland was “absolutely beyond my wildest dreams,” according to Olympics.com. This is the first ever Olympic medal for Dominica.
🇩🇲🥇🇩🇲🥇Our #FIRST EVER #OlympicGames #GOLD medal! @thealafond #TheaLafond made #Dominica proud and represented! 🇩🇲🥇🇩🇲🥇 pic.twitter.com/j7Nfaw1Dee
— Shane O Raphael (@ShaneORaph) August 3, 2024
Thea LaFond, what a story:
– Born in Dominica
– Moved to Maryland at 7
– Started track in high school
– 2015 B1G Field Athlete of the Year
– Taught in Montgomery County Schools to support her dreamNow, she's her country's first-ever Olympic gold medalist. Proud she’s a Terp pic.twitter.com/qupvLHOdgq
— Maryland Terrapins (@umterps) August 3, 2024
She added, “We always said it takes one jump. Second jump at Indoor Worlds was the big one. Second jump outdoors at the Olympics was the big one, that’s what it took.
“The rain was kind of in my favour, it came down as soon as I was done with that second jump – thank you God for working with me.”