Matthew Boling Turns Pro

University of Georgia? Valuable degree? LOL. He only has one year of school remaining so he can go back later or even take a class per semester remotely.

He probably only made around $100k total for the relay win (win + WR bonus) but that is a good start to a career. Signing with HAWI is strange for a sprinter and that agency is not top-tier so that may not have been the best move.

You people know he's graduated already right?

Why would any agency prioritize him? Does he at least have a strong social media presence?

Exactly, he's already has graduated with a degree. He's not your typical long distance runner who stays in college for far too long to run.

Yes! ESPN says he is going for the 400, woot!

espn.com

Georgia sprint star Boling decides to turn pro

Georgia track star Matthew Boling has decided to turn pro and has his eye on making the United States' track squad for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

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And what has he done to show he deserves a relay spot? Better than Ryan Willie? Bryce Deadmon? Michael Norman? Justin Robinson? Elija Godwin? Champion Allison? Rai Benjamin? Quincy Hall? Vernon Norwood? William Jones? Fred Kerley? Chris Bailey? Johnnie Blockberger? C’mon… Boling was fortunate to make that US 400 final, and fortunate to be given a carry on that mixed relay. Others might have been more deserving, and that won’t change. If he ever swear-to-god “earns” a medal, It’ll be as a long jumper.

I don't understand this point. If Boling makes it to the US final, then he deserves to represent US in the relays. It's not as if US gives out automatic spots to any athletes.

He did finish 6th at the US champs. This type of finish would typically get you a spot in the 4 x 400 prelims at the WC...which he got.

I dont mean that he can medal with minimal effort i mean that he's a lock to medal at least once between those two distances in the future. I'll bet anyone here on the over for .5 medals between the 200m and 400m

He just has not developed like most thought he would. Clearly the short sprints are not good enough. This leads to the 400 or the long jump. Long jump alone will not pay the bills. The 400m is not a glamour event but he can certainly have a career similar to Norwood. He has to drop some weight though. It will be interesting to see what group he goes with and what shoe company pays him.

Everybody seems to be hyper focusing on only the World Championships and are completely forgetting about Diamond League races. Boling has good marketing potential behind him so if he gets down to mid-44s he's going to offered a spot in every Diamond League race.

While prize money is rather low, appearance fees for those races can be respectable. Getting paid low 5-figures per race would not be unrealistic for Boling. One can build a relatively good career off that. You don't need global medals to have a successful pro career.

I don't know that he'll ever be favored to even make a team, actually. In the 200m, we have Lyles, Kenny B, Knighton, Kerley (?), Laird, Lindsey, Gregory all faster than his PR, plus younger guys coming up.

His 400 PR is 45.17 -- so let's get real. Once he proves he can do it, sure, maybe. But right now there are 30+ Americans that have run faster than that in the last 2-3 years.

And this is what I keep saying. He's better at the 200 meters than the 400 meters. The arguments that he's somehow got greater potential in the longer race are centered on the same "eye test" that said that Jeremy Wariner was really and 800 meter runner (or that Mike Vick should move to wideout, etc). Shocking!

At 19.92 (-0.8) he could realistically hope to become a 19.7x guy, perhaps faster. But at 45.17 - what is anyone really expecting?

It's fine to say "well, he can win medals in the 400 via the mixed 4x400." Yep. I've conceded that from the start. If it's just about being a mediocre (for this level) runner who can collect golds in a cakewalk event, that's his route.

But if he keeps in the short sprints to stay fast and focuses mostly on long jump, he can push his own limits and perhaps achieve an individual medal. It's about what he's got the stomach to do.

I can tell by your extreme optimism that you haven't been following the sport of track and field for very long. You're very unrealistic.

Boling is the exact OPPOSITE of a lock to medal at a global championships in either the 200 or 400. He isn't even a lock to make the USA team in either the 200 or 400, never mind win a global medal in either of those two events.

On the other hand, with 19.89 basic, you can do the additional repetitions and longer intervals to drop time in the 400m, while you may have a physical cap on your speed potential in the 100 and 200m. So, the transition up may be easier than continued short sprint improvement. Still, a change of coaches and training partners might yet result in that deferred 100/200 improvement and the 9.8x and 19.7x.

A full ride scholarship, countless All-Americans, two Div 1 titles, sub-10/sub-20/8.2m PB's, and multiple world championship relay medals with certainly many more to follow. I sure wish I could be as mediocre as Boling.

"A pro athlete is dogpoop unless they're winning individual medals" is such a backward ass view of the sport. And we wonder why the sport struggles for fans when we ignore 95% of the athletes

You did not read anything I wrote. His 400 meters is his weakest event and, at the international/pro level, his personal best there is "mediocre." However, he is good enough at it to finish top-8 in nationals, which meant it was good enough for a world championship gold on the mixed 4x400.

Prior to the beginning of outdoor 2023, he was a superb 200 meter man both indoors and outdoors. In 2022, he went sub-10 in the 100, which is also quite good. His long jump is great.

Relative to his short sprint/jumping ability, and relative to the international competition, his 400 meters is mediocre. I'm not saying he's a mediocre athlete, full stop, and anyone who truly read my post could have understood that.

Also says he's a trail runner. Watch out Walmsley

I did not realize he already graduated

Going pro makes more sense for grads who can secure financing. Otherwise it is best to apply for grad school and try to improve enough to get a sponsorship the next year