6/14/08

Richard Thompson spread his arms as he glided across the finish line.

Doubters were left in the dust, while the Louisiana State senior sprinted to a victory in Friday’s 100-meter final at the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
His longtime rival, Walter Dix of Florida State, finished fourth.

A Drake Stadium crowd of 11,228 responded to the finish with an ovation.

“What a great way to go out,” said Thompson, who won in 10.12 seconds. “I anticipated this day for four years. So I’m glad it finally came through.”