Notable Seminole Birthday: FSU Track and Field National Champion and Olympic Medalist Walter Dix Turns 40

Born Jan. 31, 1986, former Florida State track and field national champion and 2008 Olympic bronze medalist Walter Dix turns 40 today!

A native of Coral Spring, sprinter Walter Dix spent four seasons as a member of the Florida State track and field team. A team member from 2005 to 2008, Dix had one of the most decorated careers in program history. When all was said and done, Dix helped FSU win three men's outdoor national championships. Individually, he was a 9-time ACC champion and an 8-time national champion.

The 2005 ACC Indoor and Outdoor Freshman of the Year, Dix claimed six ACC titles -- the indoor 60 meters, outdoor 100 meters, indoor and outdoor 200 meters and the 4x100 indoor and 4x400 outdoor -- as a freshman. He was the national champion in the outdoor 100 meters.

As a sophomore in 2006, Dix claimed both the indoor and outdoor national championships in the 200 meters. He repeated in both events as a junior while winning ACC Outdoor Performer of the Year honors for taking both the ACC indoor and outdoor 200 meters titles and was part of the national championship 4x100 outdoor team.

Dix was named the ACC Male Athlete of the Year in 2007 as well as the USTFCCCA and Track & Field News Outdoor Athlete of the Year. With Dix captaining the ship, FSU won three straight men's outdoor national championships from 2006 to 2008.

Dix won a third straight outdoor 200 meters national title as a senior in 2008. At the 2008 Summer Olympic in Beijing while representing the U.S., Dix won bronze in the 100 and 200 meters.

An 18-time All-American, Dix was inducted into the FSU Hall of Fame in 2018. He also became the first FSU track and field athlete to have his number retired. Dix still holds the FSU record for fastest time in both the indoor and outdoor 200 meters.