Where is Matt Shirvington?

[white lightning]

Shirvo has just dissapeared.I was a little excited for him going into the summer when he won a race down under in a time of 10.26!Matt hasn't run that fast in several years and had battled enough injuries to make almost anyone want to retire.He said he was finally happy to be back sprinting and being competetive in his home country.

Matt's coach went on record in an interview that no one out works Shirvo.He said he trains harder than anyone he has ever worked with.He also said that Matt can still run a sub 10 and thought we would see one in the near future.Then that was it.Not one race since Feb/March.What the hell happened?Is Matt so busy doing tv and modeling that he can't find time to enter even one race in Europe.I just don't get it.If anyone knows what is going on with Shirvington,please give me a link or the info please.Thanks guys.

 

[albinosprint]

well his web site is down and a friend of mine from Down Under say he think he retired and is doing sport announcing, but he is not sure. he said he would email me if he finds anything out. i didn't even know he ran this season. beside a few injuries, i think Shirvo suffered from way to much pressure.the Australian people leaned on him way to much to be the "Great White Hope", as did the world. once hebegan running great times,the pressure was on. then with the Olympics being in Australia, he just buckled. i had such high hopes for this guy. i hope he is still in it and pulls a miracle out of his ass this season!

 

[jacknyc]

Matt is on Oceania's World Cup team that competes in Athens in September. But as far as I can tell, he hasn't raced sine the Commonwealth Games.
I don't think he is going to compete at the World Cup, and if he does it will probably be in the relay.
The biggest meet of the year for him was The Commonwealth Games in his home country of Australia.
He didn't qualify for the team, and so what else is there for him this season?
He's not going to get invited to any big Euro meets, because he didn't run fast enough times to get invited.
He can make more money modeling and on TV, than running in B & C level track meets in Europe.
Here's an article about him...his track life seems to be an after thought.
http://www.thecouriermail.news.com.au/story/0,20797,19457174 -5003422,00.html

 

[freedom1]

Sound like he's lost the fire. It just doesn't seem that long ago that he ran the 10.03, but I guess it has been.

Are there any new Australian sprinters coming up? There was some talk about Batman last season. Anyone know what he's been up to?

 

[white lightning]

Daniel Batman is a very good sprinter.It's frustrating though because most of the Aussies seem to only compete in their homeland.By the time the European Summer Season starts,they are burned out.They really need to do something about not having so many races in the winter months.How can they expect to be world class if there sprinters don't show up in Europe half the time.Adam Miller is another local to keep an eye on.He has very short legs but he sure can run!!

 

[white is right]

Australians tend to peak at the wrong time. They peak in the early spring. When Shirvington was at his best and running 10.0X and 10.1X frequently he did this early in the season. I noticed the same thing with the South Africans. It's been a long time since a South American has done much in sprinting but I tend to believe they would have the same problems as these athletes.......

 

[white lightning]

I just heard waht happened to Shirvo.He is still hosting the show but his wife just had his first kid.He is finally a father and that is what has preoccupied his time.Maybe this will give him the inspiration to go out and finally get back to his 1998 form.I doubt we will see anything from him till next season though.Congrats to the Shirvington Family.

 

[white lightning]

Here is a good interview/article with Matt.He just recently turned 28 years old but still has the hunger to be the fastest man in the world.He is 100% healthly and is about to start the summer season soon in Australia.Let's see how he does.I still get really excited whenever he races.Good luck to Shirvo!Here is the link to the article.

http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,20822279-12 428,00.html

 

[white lightning]

In two weeks,Matt will be in his first big outdoor race in Australia.On January,7 2007 he will face local rivals Patrick Johnson,Daniel Batman,Joshua Ross and several others.It's very early in the year,but I want to see how he looks.Patrick Johnson,Ross and Batman all have raced outdoors already so they have the advantage over Shirvo.Here is to a big rebound season for Matt.No one deserves to go sub 10 first more than him.He got people talking about it around nine years ago.Now that he is married with a kid,he has matured.Watch out for Shirvo in 2007!

 

[white lightning]

Shirvo,Batman and Johnson pulled out of the race at the last minute.Joshua Ross won the 100 in a wind aided time of 10.09 in the final.He ran a world championships qualifier in the semis with a 10.21 time.There are some young sprinters that ran very strong here too.The Australians are going to be tough this year.Hopefully Matt Shirvington can compete really soon.I can possibly see a sub 10 coming from one or two Aussies this year.I know I'm being very optomistic but there is some serious talent down under.Good luck to all of the Aussies.

 

[white lightning]

Still no sign of Shirvo.He is going to race very soon but is off to a very late start.I hope his training is going ok.It must be hard with having a new baby at home with his wife.Good luck on getting sleep.He has only two chances left at the big world scene to make a slight impace on a career that hasn't delivered too much.I would love to see him some how make an impact at the World Outdoor Championships this summer or at the Olympics in 2008! I know he is the ultimate long shot but you can't help but root for the guy.He still has all of the physical tools,but can he put it all together?Good luck to Matt this summer.

 

[jacknyc]

I think you can forget about Shirvington.
He has skipped several races, is not running in the Australian championships, and is missing in action.
Disappointing.
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,21309736- 2722,00.html

 

[white lightning]

There was finally a Shirvo siting.He finished in 4th place in his first race in over a year.Matt ran a very slow 10.65 although it was into a very strong head wind.I'm shocked that he finally entered a race.I figured that he must have retired as he just vanished from the public eye since him & his wife had a child.It will be interesting to see if he can ever find the motivation to train hard again to get back into racing shape.My guess is that he has lost the desire to compete as he is making alot of money doing tv,and modeling currently.If he does keep running however,I wish him the best of luck.

 

[kre08]

Shirvo just finished 4th in the 100 in a time of 10.45 seconds. This improves his s.b. by .2 seconds. He competes in the 200 later today.

 

[mastermulti]

08 June 2007 - Turin, Italy
MEN

100m +0.60 1 Devonish Marlon GBR 10.24; 2 Davis Marquis USA 10.27; 3
Dzingai Brian ZIM 10.30; 4 Shirvington Matt AUS 10.45; 5 Thomas Dwight
JAM 10.48; 6 Vries Sherwin RSA 10.49; 7 Beranger Bosse CAF 10.57; 8
Marangon Roberto ITA 10.73

200m -0.30 1 Dzingai Brian ZIM 20.29; 2 Devonish Marlon GBR 20.55; 3
Vries Sherwin RSA 21.05; 4 Davis Marquis USA 21.07; 5 Modibo Ato TRI
21.16; 6 Shirvington Matt AUS 21.30; 7 Beranger Bosse CAF 21.50;
Thomas Dwight JAM NP


So Matt looks to be doing a low key "sneak up" with the worlds in view.
Looks like he will make at least the relay given no injury probs and
further improvement over his next few meets.
Historically he can pull another ,25 or so off that time easily but then it's
a matter of avoiding illness or injury to go to the next level.Edited by: mastermulti

 

[jacknyc]

10.28 with 1.8w in Spain today.

 

[white lightning]

Holy cow.That is a hell of an improvement for Shirvo in a short period of time.I wonder if there is still a glimmer of hope for him.It will probably be too late for this season but if he can run some fast times,it should motivate him to attempt to make the Australian Olympic Team for 2008. It's great to at least hear that he is still running.

 

[mastermulti]

Matt will be selected for the 4x1 relay team (already in the squad) in
Ostrava on that "B" qualifier.

It's his fastest since his 10.26 February '06 in Australian

Let's hope he can further improve on that in the coming weeks. He's
received absolutely no publicity here in Oz. He's off the radar here while
he's in Britain...maybe the way he likes itEdited by: mastermulti

 

[white lightning]

I would love to see him get some races next year against Joshua Ross as they might just both push each other to a sub 10. I don't think Shirvo should race much early on however as the Olympics are more important.All of the Aussies should take it easy next year so they can peak in the summer time for the big prize.

 

[white lightning]

I just heard some great news today.Shirvo has been added to the Australian Team going to the World Championships in Osaka,Japan.He will only be a part of the 4 x 100 Relay but it is the first time he has been a part of the team this year.Everyone thought he was going to retire until he ran a 10.28 last month.I hope this motivates him to give it one more year of full time competition.He still has the ability to go sub 10 in my opinion if he is in top shape.I hope he will use his marriage and fatherhood to be a motivator.Good luck to Shirvo and all of the Aussies next month.

 

[white is right]

He may have a shot at medaling in the relays. With US' history of dropped batons, failed drug tests and being beaten by "slower teams", the worlds could be wide open.

 

[albinosprint]

hear is a interesting story.

http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,22101798-1482 2,00.html

 

[white lightning]

What a great article.Thanks albinosprint.I've always said that he is still capable physically if he can get his head right and decide that he really wants to run like he used to.This is very exciting.He is one of my all time favorite sprinters despite him not acheiving the success that most of us thought he would.

 

[white lightning]

Here is to hoping that Shirvo can run an "A" Qualifier Time tommorow for the World Championships.He needs to go 10.21 or faster!Good luck to him & Joshua Ross.

 

[mastermulti]

well, 10.51 looks initially disappointing until you realise he was within 4
feet of Wally Spearmon and Frank Obikwelu.
Conditions must have been fairly tough out there.

He needs to increase his racing frequency now to give him the chance to
run a blinder in good conditions.