BATON ROUGE — The track and field team swept this week’s LSU Male and Female Athlete of the Week honors as seniors Richard Thompson and Kelly Baptiste were both recognized on Wednesday following a vote by a local media panel.
Thompson blew away an elite field in the 60-meter dash finals to win the event title at the New Balance Collegiate Invitational in New York last Friday. Thompson, who helped the 12th-ranked Tigers to a third-place finish in the team competition, shattered his own school record in the event for the second time this season after blistering the track with a time of 6.57 seconds.
With the time, Thompson became the first man in school history to eclipse the 6.60 barrier as he nipped teammate and fellow All-American Trindon Holliday (6.61) at the finish line. He bettered his own school record of 6.62 set just two weeks ago at the Razorback Invitational.
To date, Thompson’s 6.57 effort is the fastest time in the NCAA, the fastest time on American soil and the sixth-fastest time in the world this season.
Not to be outdone in New York, Baptiste was named the New Balance Collegiate Invitational’s Female Athlete of the Meet after leading the top-ranked Lady Tigers to a dominating team win last weekend. Baptiste garnered 18 points over the course of the event, earning a victory in the 60-meter dash as well as a runner-up finish in the 200 meters.
In the 60 meters, Baptiste clocked the fastest time in the NCAA and the fourth fastest time in the world this season, crossing the tape in 7.17 seconds to edge teammate and fellow All-American Samantha Henry (7.18) at the line.
In addition, Baptiste clocked an NCAA provisional qualifying time of 23.46 in the 200 meters. She knocked off five All-Americans in earning runner-up status.