Picture this: A warm summer evening in Paris. The lights at Stade de France are shining bright, and the crowd is buzzing with anticipation. Thea LaFond steps onto the runway for her final attempt in the women’s triple jump. The weight of an entire nation is on her shoulders, but her mind is locked in. She’s calm, focused, and ready. But before she sprints down that runway, her eyes scan the crowd. And there he is. Aaron Gadson. Her husband. Her rock.
She takes off, her steps pounding with purpose. She soars through the air, lands with precision, and the stadium erupts. Thea squats down and screams at the top of her lungs, an unfiltered joy that sends chills down your spine. She’s done it. 15.02 meters. Gold. History. But before the world even catches its breath, Thea’s already moving, running straight into Aaron’s arms. Well, seems they’re so in love… but how did their beautiful story begin?
Who is Aaron Gadson?
Well, having a husband like Aaron Gadson is every athlete’s dream—why spend money on a coach when your husband is the coach? And not just any coach! Thea LaFond’s husband, Aaron’s a professional jumps coach with serious credentials and a deep love for the sport. Back in his days at Exeter, he earned six varsity letters and was part of the school’s record-breaking 4x100m relay team.
Then at Cornell, he kept making waves in the triple jump, qualifying for the IC4A championships every year and making the finals at the Heps. In 2008, he hit a personal best of 49-11 in the triple jump, good enough to punch his ticket to the NCAA regional championships. He wasn’t too shabby in the long jump either, with a best of 22-9. Aaron’s sharp technique kept him competitive, but everyone knew with a bit more fine-tuning, he was bound for even bigger performances.
Born to Ollie and Brenda Gadson, Aaron grew up with an older brother and sister, and that family support fueled his athletic journey. But even after graduation, his love for track didn’t fade. But what does he do now?
What does Aaron Gadson do for a living?
After graduating from Cornell University, Aaron Gadson wasn’t ready to leave the track behind. Coaching became his way of staying connected to the sport, but what started as a practical move quickly turned into a full-blown passion. He saw that school athletes lacked proper support, which encouraged him to take action. His attention to detail and fascination for the technical aspects of jumping made him start to fill the knowledge void he had observed.
His coaching career began at high schools while specializing in the long jump along with triple jump because talented coaching professionals in those events were scarce. His emphasis on technique development, along with his coaching methods, produced a superior athletic performance that led his athletes to win state, regional, and national awards. More sophisticated athletes who aimed at advanced sporting achievements began to look for his expertise after succeeding in their races.
Fate brought Thea LaFond into his life at that moment. From their initial professional collaboration came quick achievements, followed by the growth of their connection that expanded outside their track work.
How did Thea LaFond and Aaron Gadson meet?
A hamstring injury during her Rio Olympic performance in 2016 resulted in the last-place finish, which made Thea LaFond realize she needed a transformative change. She required a coach capable of propelling her beyond her current performance standards. So fate delivered Aaron, her future coach. Thea received a referral from her former Cornell teammate to start working with coach Aaron, who had just taken on Winston Churchill High School as their head coach in Potomac Maryland.
At first, everything was strictly professional because Aaron worked intensively on her technique while Thea LaFond fought to show her ability. The two developed romantic feelings when they spent time together and evaluating jumps. Their relationship developed naturally, yet faced obstacles sometimes. Because distances did come! Thea and Aaron maintained their love story through international athletic competitions as Thea traveled while Aaron stayed in Maryland to coach. Airport terminals became their primary social space instead of the typical location where couples go out on dates.
Through time and chaos, they grew closer to each other. The distance and challenges could not break them because they emphasized their connection with a great amount of love. They exchanged marriage vows at St. John the Evangelist Church in 2022 after their dedicated years of professional and personal development. Now, they’re not just partners on the track—they’re life partners, building a future where love and success go hand in hand.
The post Who Is Thea LaFond’s Husband? Know Everything About Aaron Gadson appeared first on EssentiallySports.
