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, 44.91 and 8.25 LJ
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sprintstar
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Just like Zack Swinneck did in the 400m then got injured and was never the same....
Texas Flash
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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
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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
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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
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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
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Boling needs to join Steiner's/Prandini's Puma group....
white is right
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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
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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.