Miles Thompson wants to be remembered for more than championships after breathtaking state track fin

Cedar Rapids Washington’s Miles Thompson (center), Southeast Polk’s Abu Sama (left), and Urbandale’s Ryan Marshall (right) compete in the Class 4A boys’ state track and field 100-meter dash Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

DES MOINES — Miles Thompson is a sprinter, one of the best that the state has ever seen.

But he wants to be remembered as more than a guy who ran fast.

“It’s not about breaking records or anything like that,” the senior from Cedar Rapids Washington said. “I want to motivate people. I want to inspire people.”

His swan song at Drake Stadium was breathtaking.

Bound for Texas Tech University, Thompson captured the Class 4A boys’ 100- and 200-meter races Saturday at the state track and field meet.

His times: 10.46 seconds and a 21.02-second beauty that ranks No. 2 all-time.

“It’s amazing,” he said. “I owe a lot to my mom and dad. Mom helped me so much with my starts. When I was a freshman, she critiqued me on a lot of things.”

Cedar Rapids Washington’s Miles Thompson embraces his mother Kristyn Barber after winning the Class 4A boys’ state track and field 200-meter dash Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. (Nick Rohlman/The Gazette)

Thompson was running for them. And he was running for teammate Michael Blank, who was unable to compete this weekend after injuring his hamstring three weeks ago here at the Drake Relays.

“This was our final year running together. I’m sad he wasn’t with me in the 100 and 200 and on the relays,” Thompson said. “I had to keep my head up.”

Iowa City West finishes weekend with four relay victories

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The 4A boys’ team race went down to the final event, with Johnston taking its first championship with 84 points. Ankeny was second with 80.

Then it was the Mississippi Valley Conference trio of Iowa City High (79), Linn-Mar (68) and Iowa City West (62) rounding out the top five.

West finished the weekend with four relay victories, including shuttle hurdle and 400-meter titles Saturday.

Christian Janis anchored both of them.

In the 400 relay, West and Johnston both were timed in 41.89 seconds, with the Trojans winning by a few-thousandths.

“When I saw our name come up on top ... fireworks,” Janis said. To come off a (hamstring) injury to get this win, it’s amazing.

“A lot of teams say they are family, but we take it to the next level.”

The top four teams in the shuttle are from the I-380 corridor. West won it in 58.19 seconds, followed by Linn-Mar, Cedar Rapids Kennedy and City High.

“We came out of Thursday with no points, and that motivated us,” West’s Aidan Jacobsen said. “We knew our strengths were Friday and Saturday, and that motivated us.”

Iowa City West shuttle hurdle relay team members from left: Aidan Jacobsen, Jesus Marungo-Murillo, Christian Janis and Quinn Abbott raise their championship flags Saturday at Drake Stadium in Des Moines. (Jim Slosiarek/The Gazette)

Shortly after the shuttle silver, Linn-Mar’s Nicholas Gorsich returned and won the 100-meter highs in 14.54 seconds.

He won the 400-meter lows Friday.

“This wasn’t the time I wanted; I hit hurdle, but I was able to maintain the lead,” Gorsich said. “I’m going to look back with a lot of good memories. I’ve done what I set my expectations to be.”

City High got runner-up finishes Saturday from Truman Thompson (800) and Ford Washburn (1,600). West’s Izaiah Loveless was second to Miles Thompson in the 200.

Saturday results: Class 4A boys

Top 10 teams — 1. Johnston 84, 2. Ankeny 80, 3. Iowa City High 79, 4. Linn-Mar 68, 5. Iowa City West 62, 6. West Des Moines Dowling 37, 7. Cedar Falls 30, 8. Cedar Rapids Washington 26, 9. Southeast Polk 23, 10. Mason City 21.

RESULTS (Top 3 and area placewinners)

Sprint medley relay — 1. Johnston (Fox, Ellsworth, Fox, Anglo), 1:30.15; 2. Ankeny, 1:30.78; 3. Bettendorf, 1:31.96; 6. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 1:33.10.

800 — 1. Gabe Nash (Sioux City North), 1:52.34; 2. Truman Thompson (Iowa City High), 1:53.30; 3. Moustafa Tiea (Iowa City West), 1:53.63; 4. Ammon Smith (Iowa City High), 1:54.19.

Shuttle hurdle relay — 1. Iowa City West (Jacobsen, Marungo-Murillo, Abbott, Janis), 58.19; 2. Linn-Mar, 58.52; 3. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 58.72; 4. Iowa City High, 59.26.

100 — 1. Miles Thompson (Cedar Rapids Washington), 10.46; 2. Abu Sama (Southeast Polk), 10.84; 3. Ryan Marshall (Urbandale), 10.93.

100 hurdles — 1. Nicholas Gorsich (Linn-Mar), 14.54; 2. Connor Carver (Fort Dodge), 14.64; 3. Matt Schaeckenbach (Iowa City High), 14.68; 5. Austin Rindels (Iowa City High), 15.02; 7. Cyrus Courtney (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 15.19.

200 — 1. Miles Thompson (Cedar Rapids Washington), 21.02; 2. Izaiah Loveless (Iowa City West), 21.52; 3. Jackson Belding (Ankeny), 21.83.

1,600 — 1. Jackson Heidesch (West Des Moines Dowling), 4:07.18; 2. Ford Washburn (Iowa City High), 4:08.27; 3. Ethan Zuber (Ankeny), 4:14.39; 8. Miles Wilson (Cedar Rapids Kennedy), 4:16.33.

400 relay — 1. Iowa City West (Rent, Loveless, Robinson, Janis), 41.89; 2. Johnston, 41.89; 3. Ankeny, 41.94; 4. Cedar Rapids Washington, 41.99; 7. Cedar Rapids Kennedy, 42.74.

1,600 relay — 1. Johnston (Klahn, Wear, Grandon, Anglo), 3:15.26; 2. Ankeny, 3:15.99; 3. Cedar Falls, 3:16.44; 4. Linn-Mar, 3:16.99; 6. Cedar Rapids Prairie, 3:18.54; 7. Iowa City High, 3:20.27.

Comments: jeff.linder@thegazette.com