Where does Matthew Boling rank in track?

By Jayson Panganiban May 29, 2023 22:03

Photo by Jason Fochtman/Staff photographer

The track world has been buzzing about Matthew Boling. Boling has been turning heads with his incredible speed and agility for a track and field athlete. Then where does Matthew Boling fall on the trackside?

Boling has achieved awards and made records to become one of the elite track sprinters in 2023. The Gatorade National Boys Track and Field Athlete of the Year award was presented to him in 2019. Then, in 2021, he won the New Balance Nationals Indoor 200m title, proving his great talent.

As Boling had already accomplished some phenomenal feats, many questioned if he could possibly just be the best in his field. He established his personal best of 43.55 seconds in the 400m just last May when he won The Track Meet presented by John Deere at Mt. SAC, and that ranked him second on the all-time world list behind only Michael Johnson (1999; 43.18). These times make him the world's fastest 400m runner this year and second all-time among high school runners in history. That it came as a freshman at the University of Georgia, and he was just 19 only makes this moment all the more impressive.

Boling has also displayed his speed and agility in other events. With records such as being the first U.S. high schooler to run a sub-10 and holding the national record for the 4x100m relay, Boling truly deserves the praise he has been getting.

Sports critics have also applauded Boling on his natural abilities and work intensity. Former Olympic champion and world record holder Michael Johnson even dared to compare Boling to Usain Bolt, he said that he has the talent of a track superstar.

Where does he belong in track and field history? But he is not far enough in his career to really be considered among heavyweight greats, though many believe Bolt has the potential (though perhaps arguably already does) become one of the world's all-time greatest sprinters. The succession of breakout performances in high school and college have already caught the attention of various professional coaches and scouts.

I think it is nearly impossible to compare Boling, in terms of national and international rankings, to any other athlete because we are dealing with someone new on the track scene. But with those times he has already shown that his records are of the highest quality among sprinters. The sky is the limit if he keeps working, and developing his skills.

Boling has excelled with good coaching throughout his career, as well. He kicked off his track career at Houston Strake Jesuit High School under the guidance of his father, Mark Boling. Boling found early success also developing his natural talent under the guidance of his father.

After graduating high school, Boling went on to the University of Georgia and kept training for his later noted performances. He has been training with Coach Petros Kyprianou and his staff, who have helped fine-tune Smith-Tilmon's form, which was instrumental last year in helping him win a state championship.

Matthew Boling is generally regarded as one of the brightest rising stars and has the potential to be one of the all-time best sprinters in Track and Field. That time is among the best ever by high school sprinters, putting him within shooting distance of several records — and he's still young. And as he continues on this same trajectory, one should expect to see him perhaps advancing even further up the ranks of athletes competing in track and field.