The Paris 2024 Olympic Games came to a close on Sunday, concluding two weeks of exhilarating sports competition with a vibrant closing ceremony. This edition of the Games witnessed a remarkable achievement as four countries secured their inaugural Olympic medals.
Chermen Valiev etched his name in Albanian sporting history by winning bronze in the men’s 74kg freestyle wrestling event. In the bronze medal match, Valiev emerged victorious against Tajikistan’s Viktor Rassadin, securing Albania’s first-ever Olympic medal.
Saint Lucia’s Julien Alfred delivered a phenomenal performance, claiming the women’s 100 meters gold medal with a national record time of 10.72 seconds. This achievement made her the first medallist from Saint Lucia in Olympic history. Alfred’s margin of victory was a substantial 0.15 seconds, the largest in the Olympic 100m since 2008. Notably, Alfred’s top speed of 41.04 kmph surpassed all other finalists, with Sha’Carri Richardson, the favored competitor, coming in second at 40.52 kmph. Alfred also went on to win silver in the women’s 200 meters.
Cape Verde’s David De Pina marked a historic moment for his nation by winning the bronze medal in the men’s 51kg boxing event. De Pina, who served as the flagbearer for the seven-member Cape Verdean contingent in Paris, secured the bronze after reaching the semi-final stage.
Thea LaFond, representing Dominica, created history for her Caribbean island nation by winning gold in the triple jump at the Paris 2024 Olympics, securing Dominica’s first-ever Olympic medal. LaFond established herself as the athlete to beat with her second attempt, achieving a distance of 15.02 meters – a world best for the year. This impressive jump proved insurmountable, and the rain-affected conditions further challenged the other competitors.
