BATON ROUGE – Former LSU Tiger and Olympic silver medalist Richard Thompson is certainly a worthy ambassador for his native country of Trinidad & Tobago, and that was never more evident than a recent trip to his homeland in which he surprised two local schools with a sizable donation as a token of his appreciation for the education he received as a youth.
Before attending LSU on a track scholarship, Thompson attended the Newtown Boys’ RC School and the Queen’s Royal College in Port-of-Spain where he received a strong foundation in education and athletics.
In a show of appreciation, Thompson donated approximately $4,000 USD ($25,000 TTD) to each school, while also paying tribute to the many educators who helped build a solid foundation to flourish at the next level. He has also made a similar contribution to the Autistic Society of Trinidad and Tobago and the Just Because Foundation this year for a total donation of $16,000 USD ($100,000 TTD) to his country.
“I am glad that I’m in a position to help those in need,” Thompson said. “I am also thankful that God has blessed me and given me the opportunity to give back to the institutions that set the foundation to help me get to where I am now. I will be forever grateful for their influence on my life.”
Thompson, who wrapped up his collegiate career at LSU as an eight-time All-American and 2008 NCAA 100-meter champion, is on track to graduate in either August or December with a degree in sociology.
A native of Cascade, Trinidad, Thompson became a symbol of national pride at the 2008 Olympic Games when he won a pair of silver medals in his Olympics debut, including a runner-up finish to Jamaica’s Usain Bolt in the 100-meter dash before anchoring Trinidad & Tobago to a runner-up finish in the 4×100-meter relay. He set his personal best of 9.89 seconds in the 100-meter final at the Olympic Games.
Thompson continued his success into his first season as a professional in 2009 when he placed fifth in the 100-meter dash at the IAAF World Championships in Athletics in Berlin, Germany, while also anchoring his country to a silver medal in the 4×100-meter relay.
He again established himself as one of the world’s premier sprinters by finishing the 2009 campaign rated as the seventh-fastest sprinter in the world with a seasonal-best time of 9.93.