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LSU's Trinidad Runners Sweep Titles In 100

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By BOB BAUM

The Associated Press

Published: June 14, 2008

DES MOINES, Iowa - Trinidad had a big night at the NCAA track and field championships.

LSU sprinters from the small Caribbean nation, seniors Richard Thompson and Kelly-Ann Baptiste, won the men's and women's 100 meters Friday under a cloudless Midwest sky.

Thompson eased to victory in 10.12, followed by Travis Padgett of Clemson at 10.16. LSU's Trindon Holliday was third at 10.18. Defending champion Walter Dix of Florida State, coming back from a hamstring injury, got off to a bad start and wound up fourth at 10.22. Jeremy Hall of Florida was sixth in 10.36.

Baptiste earned her long-awaited NCAA 100 crown, bursting ahead in the last 40 meters to win in 11.20. Simone Facey of Texas A&M was second in 11.27.

Florida State led in its bid for a third straight men's team title with 32 points. LSU was second with 31 but had only two athletes competing in today's final day of competition. Auburn was third with 26.

Defending champion Arizona State, with a 1-2 finish in the discus, led in the women's standings with 36 points. LSU had 31 and Stanford 21.
Jenny Barringer of Colorado broke her collegiate record in the women's 3,000 steeplechase by a whopping 4.75 seconds.

Barringer, who was born in Webster City, Iowa, but moved to Oviedo, smiled as she sprinted the final 80 meters to win in 9 minutes, 29.20 seconds, the second-fastest ever by an American in the event and tied for fifth-fastest in the world this year.

She said she looked at the time and thought, "How could I do that and feel so good the whole time?"

Barringer, the youngest member of the U.S. team at the world championships in 2007, broke the college mark of 9:33.95 she set in September at the DecaNation Championships in Paris. It was the fastest ever in the event in the United States.

The American record of 9:28.75 was set by Lisa Galaviz in Belgium last year.

"I'm just gritty, but I love the competition," she said. "It takes a tough woman to do it."

Dix wasn't supposed to run in the 400 relay, but the defending NCAA 100 and 200 champion showed up anyway. He ran the first leg but had trouble with the handoff. Holliday anchored LSU to the win in 38.42. Texas A&M was second at 38.58, followed by Florida (38.84) and Florida State (39.11).

Also picking up points for FSU was Luke Gunn, who took third in the 3,000 steeplechase in 8:34.41.

For Florida, Adam Montague took third in the javelin with a throw of 244-10, Lakecia Ealey was fourth in the women's 100 (11.35), and the 400 relay team placed fourth in 43.61.

Moving on to finals were Drew Brunson (13.39) of Florida State and Ronnie Ash (13.46) of Bethune-Cookman in the 110 hurdles, and Rayon Taylor of FSU (52-3 3/4 ) in the triple jump. FSU's Teona Rogers (Wharton) placed sixth in her 100 hurdles semifinal in 13.53, but failed to advance to the final.

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