I barely follow track, except when this forum highlights some of our guys to follow, like Boling. I remember when Boling had an intense rivalry with Noah Lyes back 5 years ago and throughout their SEC careers. Lyles has progressed and is now a star. Boling is an afterthought. It’s disappointing.
Matthew Boling 9.98, 19.92, 44.84 and 8.25 LJ
- Thread starter white lightning
- Start date
sprintstar
Master
Just like Zack Swinneck did in the 400m then got injured and was never the same....
Texas Flash
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 77
No worries. I understand the frustration. His career thus far, based on his senior high school season, has been a disappointment. No arguing that. And, he did not perform as I had hoped he would in this recent Olympic Trials. Change is needed.
A sprinter's life span is super short, so there is always reason for concern anytime an athlete starts to fall off the path. Perhaps he's already peaked and we've seen his best. I hope that's not the case. He certainly has time to fix things.
In my previous posts, I was not attempting to ignore the reality that he wasnt performing to expectations, but rather that his situation was not abysmal. Specifically that he was not injured, that he had improved in at least one event every year since high school, and that he was building a strong base.
I still believe that in the CONTEXT of Boling underperforming the past years in the 100/200 and the 400 having many more spots available for the US Olympic Team, that going up in distance for a year or two was the right decision. Especially considering that he has Fred Kerley's coach and he has had experience with this type of multi-sprint world-class athlete already. The 400m experiment did not work out. That was apparent not just in his overall 400m times at the trials, but based upon his splits. He could not hold his speed and broke down every last 100m in every round. He didnt even commit to attempting to run the 400 as a "true" 400m sprinter.
I agree - he needs to switch back to the 100/200 full-time. Hopefully he can get his head right and find that improvement.
BTW - He did PR at 44.91. His Chat Heading should probably be updated. It wasnt the time we were hoping for but lets not misrepresent what he did achieve.
white lightning
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2004
- Messages
- 21,456
I posted this on the 2024 Track Results Thread but I figured I would also repost it here for those who don't believe Boling can run with
the big boys in the 100 or 200 meters. He can but needs a different coach and to go back to ONLY THE 100 & 200 Meters!
Matthew Bolings 19.92 -0.9 translates into a 19.83 with no wind and a 19.69 with +2.0 legal wind.
the big boys in the 100 or 200 meters. He can but needs a different coach and to go back to ONLY THE 100 & 200 Meters!
Matthew Bolings 19.92 -0.9 translates into a 19.83 with no wind and a 19.69 with +2.0 legal wind.
Booth
Master
- Joined
- Jul 23, 2015
- Messages
- 2,030
I fear that the same thing that happened to Boling is happening to Brody Buffington. He didn't run one 100-meter or 200-meter race this track season that I could find a record of. He ran a total of five 60 meters races. Why? If this is in the wrong thread I apologize.
white lightning
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2004
- Messages
- 21,456
Yes sir. I said the same thing around a month ago. He was healthy all year but the magical coach just didn't want to run him outdoors. There was no reason given in the media. Wasted freshman year by a guy with very close to Bolings Speed in high school. It makes you wonder?
sprintstar
Master
Boling needs to join Steiner's/Prandini's Puma group....
white is right
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Feb 16, 2006
- Messages
- 10,162
His coach was a former world level 400m runner who made world level finals so he knows how to train a 400m runner but as others stated his best options for improving should be as a 200m runner who dabbles in the 100m dash.
One thing I was listening to a podcast hosted by Justin Gatlin and he talked about performance bonuses in endorsement contracts and if you make Olympic and World teams you get substantial raises in pay.
Also in the podcast he talked about the depth of the US team and if you look at what times made the 200m dash and 100m dash and what didn't he would have to be in pb territory to snag a spot in both events.
He might have been between a rock and hard place to make anything beyond the relay teams in the 4*400.
sprintstar
Master
having said that I ask this question: how many of the USA men's 100/200m sprinters are on the yam diet? More than most would like to admit...same as in the female ranks I would bet. Interesti8ngly enough Boling's coach is Kerley's former coach, now Kerley runs the 100/200m double.
Boling should move to the Long Jump.
It's his best shot for individual success.
He's barely competed in the event since college and his best jump is 8.25 meters.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Olympic Trials jumped only 8.20 meters.
If he concentrated on the event, he would improve and could become the No.1 Long Jumper in the country.
It's his best shot for individual success.
He's barely competed in the event since college and his best jump is 8.25 meters.
Meanwhile, the winner of the Olympic Trials jumped only 8.20 meters.
If he concentrated on the event, he would improve and could become the No.1 Long Jumper in the country.
Yes if he hadn't seemingly peaked. However his trajectory should've been moving upwards not sideways or even worse downwards sin e high school.
Either he is an exceptionally early bloomer (rare) or he is being mismanaged.
Hopefully that’s a wake up call for Boling.
white lightning
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2004
- Messages
- 21,456
On June 13th, Matthew Boling will be competing in the Ed Murphey Classic. He is entered in the 100 Meters. The field is
beyond stacked and he is running in the prelims. I don't expect to see too much from him but it's still a good sign that he is maybe
waking up and smelling the coffee. All of us here hope that he goes back to the 100 and 200 Meters next year. Maybe even a few meets
in Europe this summer after the Olympics. He has to retrain his body for only the 100 and 200 Meters and hopefully get a sprints coach that
only trains for those distances! Good luck to Matthew Boling!
beyond stacked and he is running in the prelims. I don't expect to see too much from him but it's still a good sign that he is maybe
waking up and smelling the coffee. All of us here hope that he goes back to the 100 and 200 Meters next year. Maybe even a few meets
in Europe this summer after the Olympics. He has to retrain his body for only the 100 and 200 Meters and hopefully get a sprints coach that
only trains for those distances! Good luck to Matthew Boling!
Last edited:
Texas Flash
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 77
That's good to hear!
Texas Flash
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 77
Just found the below from Boling's Instagram page. Looks like what some of us here surmised was correct - this past year he ran the 400m since it was his best way of making the Olympics. That's it. He's disappointed in not making the team, but I like the way he's responding to the adversity here. He doesnt say what events he will be running in the future but he seems to imply to me that he's not all about the 400. Running the 100m this weekend I'll bet is a sign of things to come.
"2024: A year of risks with one goal, make the Olympic team. My first year of the 400m may not have ended the way I dreamed. But I will be a better athlete because of it. 400m training challenged me as I was pushed to new limits. Through this I gained new levels of confidence for the future.
Making it to the 400m finals at the Olympic Trials with PRs in both the prior rounds put fire in my stomach. But finishing 8th in the USA and so close to being an Olympian put a pain in me that I know will take me to a new level.
With great risks comes even greater growth. This year I learned
1. The 400 is not a race where you can go out in 10.6 and 20. and expect to finish gracefully
2. Do not eat spicy tacos before track meets.
3. Trust in the plan that is made for you. When it is my time, I will be ready.
While my dream of becoming an Olympian may be on hold, I’m excited for how I will come out of this stronger. I have a lot to learn, but I am blessed to have the support to get this right. Next time is gonna be different. #staytuned
All glory to God."
"2024: A year of risks with one goal, make the Olympic team. My first year of the 400m may not have ended the way I dreamed. But I will be a better athlete because of it. 400m training challenged me as I was pushed to new limits. Through this I gained new levels of confidence for the future.
Making it to the 400m finals at the Olympic Trials with PRs in both the prior rounds put fire in my stomach. But finishing 8th in the USA and so close to being an Olympian put a pain in me that I know will take me to a new level.
With great risks comes even greater growth. This year I learned
1. The 400 is not a race where you can go out in 10.6 and 20. and expect to finish gracefully
2. Do not eat spicy tacos before track meets.
3. Trust in the plan that is made for you. When it is my time, I will be ready.
While my dream of becoming an Olympian may be on hold, I’m excited for how I will come out of this stronger. I have a lot to learn, but I am blessed to have the support to get this right. Next time is gonna be different. #staytuned
All glory to God."
Texas Flash
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 77
"400m training challenged me as I was pushed to new limits. Through this I gained new levels of confidence for the future." This is key. The danger in a sprinter moving up to the 400 is it could change their cadence, burn them out from overtraining and/or lead to injury. If these pitfalls can be avoided an athlete that takes a year off to run the 400m usually comes back stronger in the sprints. The workouts get much easier to handle and you can start manipulating them to your benefit because of the added strength. When things get going the confidence starts to soar. Then the times drop and the magic happens.
Maybe I just have too much hopium but I still believe he will run some really fast times and he will eventually make the Olympics.
Maybe I just have too much hopium but I still believe he will run some really fast times and he will eventually make the Olympics.
white lightning
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2004
- Messages
- 21,456
Thanks for posting his comments & thoughts. I don't like however him still talking about the 400. Yes he doesn't know how to pace himself
but that is not the event he should be running. I fear next year will be the same 400 meters experiment. He will get better but he is no
Jeremy Wariner, Alexander Doom, etc. etc. The kid is built for speed not endurance. RUN THE 100 & 200 Meters or you will regret it
in the future. His potential in the 100 and 200 meters is far beyond his potential in the 400. GIVE UP THE 400 METERS FOREVER!
sprintstar
Master
I agree that he should not focus on the 400m next year but should still do some 400m training to better his speed endurance in the 200m...
Boling ran a 20.12, 200 on a short indoor track in March of 2023, yet the best he could manage this year was 20.52 outdoors. It's like someone filled his legs full of lead. When Lemaitre began to regress, it happened gradually. Can training for the 400 really mess up a short sprinter that badly? Something doesn't add up.
Texas Flash
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 77
He actually ran a 20.03 w+2.9 on April 20th. and he ran times of 20.31 and 20.42 on two other occasions. They were not sanctioned World Athletics meets so they dont show up on their webpage list.
It kind of looks like he's regressed, and at the same time 20.03 would make 2024 his second fastest ever performing year. Really it just shows a lack of consistency or a solid game plan. Hopefully, he runs at least one more 200 before the end of the season and sets a PR to build on for next year.
Texas Flash
Newbie
- Joined
- Mar 14, 2016
- Messages
- 77
One thing I want to point out ahead of Boling's 400m tonight: He has competed in 6 outdoor 400m races this season. The slowest was 45.23 and the fastest was 44.91. With only a 0.32 second differential over 6 races that is incredibly consistent! I hope that he is still feeling fresh and fast. If he is then look out - he might be in store for a big breakout PR. (And yes I agree he still needs to switch to the shorter sprints next year regardless of the result- just saying that before I catch any unnecessary flack for this post.)
white lightning
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Oct 16, 2004
- Messages
- 21,456
The 20.03 would be a time in the 20.30's so it's not really impressive to be honest.
Matthew Boling like most of our guys would be better off being born in Europe. At least they have some coaching staffs there that would
do somersaults to coach a kid with this kind of talent. Imagine if the former Soviet Union would have told V. Borzov to run the 400? I could
give so many examples. Boling is a smart guy book wise but sadly has no common sense about what it best for his career which will be over
in another 4 or 5 years. It's just a sad situation but only MATTHEW BOLING can make the change to a different COACH and GO BACK TO THE 100 and 200 meters before it's too late. It's almost now or never. If he continues this 400 crap then I'm just not much of a fan anymore. His talent is not in the 400 meters and never will be. I don't care how many sub 45's he runs he needs to go back to the 100 and 200 Meters!!!!!