PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad – Former LSU sprint star Richard Thompson reaffirmed his status as one of the world’s leading 100-meter sprinters in a single race on Saturday night at Hasely Crawford Stadium as he captured his third-straight 100-meter gold medal in Trinidad & Tobago’s Sagicor National Open Track & Field Championships with a record-setting time of 9.85 seconds.
Thompson’s victory made it a clean sweep of the meet’s 100-meter titles for LSU Track & Field as junior Semoy Hackett also captured the women’s 100-meter dash championship on Saturday night.
While running out of lane No. 6, Thompson dominated a tough and tested field in the final as he raced out of the blocks with the sound of the starter’s pistol and took control of the race as each runner emerged from his drive phase at the 30-meter mark. Thompson then surged ahead of his seven compatriots through 80 meters before taking the title by three or four meters at the finish line.
Thompson beat the likes of Keston Bledman (10.06) and Aaron Armstrong (10.07) to the finish line as the trio qualified for the 2011 IAAF World Championships beginning in two weeks in Daegu, South Korea.
Thompson made history by clocking a personal record of 9.85 in Saturday’s final as he took down the 13-year-old Trinidad & Tobago national record of 9.86 set in 1998 at the Mt. SAC Relays by Ato Boldon, the 1996 Olympic bronze medalist and 2000 Olympic silver medalist in the 100-meter dash.
“The national record was not the goal coming into the race today, but I’m very glad I was able to achieve it. This is just a bonus,” Thompson said following the race. “Sometimes in life when you’re just trying too hard, you are not able to accomplish it. That was the case in the past. I was trying too hard to get under 10 seconds, and this weekend when I was most relaxed, I was able to achieve it. I’m thankful to God, family, friends and fans for coming out to support. I was able to feed off the energy from the crowd.”
Not only did Thompson’s winning time of 9.85 break his own PR of 9.89 that he set in winning the silver medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, but it shattered his previous 2011 seasonal best of 10.01 that he clocked at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, Ore., back on June 4. He catapulted himself to a tie for the No. 4 spot in the world rankings for the 2011 campaign with American Mike Rodgers.
Thompson also finds himself in medal contention at the World Championships with the likes of Jamaican world leader Asafa Powell (9.78). American Tyson Gay (9.79) suffered an injury at the U.S. World Trials, while Jamaican Steve Mullings (9.80) is facing a potential drug suspension and may not compete.
Ironically, Thompson’s record-setting run might not have ever taken place had he had his way prior to the meet as he petitioned Trinidad’s National Association of Athletics Administration for exemption.
“God does everything for a reason,” Thompson said. “If I didn’t come home (for the meet), I would not have gotten the national record this weekend. I’m thankful for the 9.85, and most of all, coming out injury free and qualifying for Daegu. I thank God and thank everyone for their love and support this season.”
Hackett also left little doubt as to which sprinter would be crowned the women’s 100-meter champion this weekend with her dominating victory at Hasely Crawford Stadium on Saturday.
Also earning the right to represent Trinidad & Tobago at this summer’s IAAF World Championships with her victory, Hackett took the women’s 100-meter title with a wind-assisted time of 11.00 to finish in front of Kai Selvon (11.19w) and Michelle-Lee Ahye (11.20w). Hackett already surpassed the “A” qualifier for the World Championships with her top wind-legal time of 2011 at 11.17.
Hackett will join Lady Tiger great and fellow Trinidadian Kelly-Ann Baptiste in the World Championship field in the 100-meter dash. Unlike Thompson, Baptiste was granted an exemption from the Sagicor Open Championships by the NAAA as she is the world’s No. 5-ranked 100-meter sprinter this season.
Baptiste clocked her 2011 seasonal best of 10.91 in her victory at the Meeting Areva in Paris on July 8 for her first career IAAF Diamond League title in the 100-meter dash.