After over a year of uncertainty and international deliberation concerning COVID-19, it appears that the Olympic torch will finally be lit, bringing the 2020 Summer games in Tokyo to an open on July 23.
This is welcomed news to athletes across the world, including many student athletes here in Athens. The University of Georgia has a rich Olympic history, producing Olympians dating back to 1936 and even hosting several events during the 1996 games in Atlanta.
Now, a new generation of Bulldogs begin their journey to Japan, but in order to get there, they must first compete with the nation’s best talent, making their way to beautiful Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon.
Fresh off top 10 finishes at the NCAA Outdoor Championships, Bulldog track and field stars turn their attention to the looming U.S. Olympic Team Trials set to begin June 18.
Within both the men’s and women’s squads lay several Olympic hopefuls looking to book their tickets to Tokyo 2020.
For the men, all eyes are on Matthew Boling, the standout sprinter and long jumper who rose to fame following his viral high school record dash. Boling is coming off of an outstanding outdoor season that saw him set school records and post blazing times for the men’s 100 and 200 meter at the 2021 SEC Championships, ranking him top five nationally. His best long jump ranks top 10.
Alongside Boling, runners Elija Godwin and Arian Smith look to try their luck at qualifying in Eugene. All three were part of Georgia’s stellar 4-x-100 team that placed second at the SEC Championships, breaking a school record, before continuing on to the NCAA finals where they again placed second and again broke their own record.