Rising American sprinter Matthew Boling expressed his excitement and enthusiasm after competing in the Jamaica Athletics Invitational on Saturday, where he ran a season's best time of 44.98 in the 400m.
Boling, who finished second behind Great Britain's Matthew Hudson Smith, spoke to Sportsmax.TV about his first-time experience in Jamaica and the atmosphere that fueled his performance.
"Yea, I loved the crowd. I like my little intro, everyone cheered and it got me hyped," Boling shared. "I was in the zone and I had to beat my chest a little bit."
Despite his impressive run, Boling indicated that he plans to rest before the upcoming USA trials, hinting at a potential return to Jamaica in the future. "I’d love to come back," he mentioned, reflecting on the lively reception he received from the Jamaican fans.
Regarding his overall season and the challenge of competing in both the 200m and 400m events, Boling expressed satisfaction with his progress, hinting that he could deliver something special at the USA Olympic trials in late June. "I think it’s been going great; the 400m and the 200m seems to be the way I’m heading this year," Boling stated. "I’ve run 10.06, 20.03 and 44.98 so far so I think I’m getting in good shape and getting ready to bust something big out at trials."
Acknowledging the difficulty of taking on the 200m/400m challenge, Boling maintained a positive outlook. "It’s pretty tough but I’m young I’ll recover quick," he remarked with a big smile, demonstrating his determination and optimism for the upcoming competitions.
Leighton Levy is a journalist with 28 years’ experience covering crime, entertainment, and sports. He joined the staff at SportsMax.TV as a content editor two years ago and is enjoying the experience of developing sports content and new ideas. At SportsMax.tv he is pursuing his true passion - sports.
Bolt undergoes successful surgery to repair ruptured Achilles
World 100m, 200m and 4x100m record holder Usain Bolt has had a successful surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles heel.
The eight-time Olympic gold medalist, who is 37 years old and retired in 2017, suffered the injury while playing in Soccer Aid, a match played annually to raise funds for UNICEF, on June 9 at Stamford Bridge, home of English Premier League club Chelsea FC.
“Surgery was successful,” said Bolt on social media on Monday.
Bolt, who has been a regular fixture in the charity game in recent years, was captaining the Soccer Aid World XI against England before going down with the injury early in the second half.
Tyra Gittens secures first professional win at International Meeting in Troyes
Trinidadian long jumper Tyra Gittens celebrated her first professional victory at the International Meeting in Troyes, France on Sunday.
The US-based Olympian secured the win with a leap of 6.56 meters, surpassing Portugal’s Evelise Veiga, who recorded a distance of 6.35 meters, the same as third-place finisher Esmeralda Yanis David of France.
Following her triumph, Gittens expressed her joy and gratitude on Instagram, writing, “Celebrating my very first professional WIN! ? Looking forward to many more! Thank you, everyone, who has been believing in me even when I struggled to see what was worth believing in. I love you all.”
Ackera Nugent and Donald Thomas impress at the 2024 New Life Invitational, but Jamaica’s 4x400m relay team falls short in Olympics bid
In encouraging displays of forms at the 2024 New Life Invitational in the Bahamas, Jamaica's Ackera Nugent and the Bahamas' Donald Thomas delivered standout performances on Sunday night.
Nugent, in her first full year as a professional, and Thomas, the seasoned high jumper, both set meet records in their respective events. However, the night ended on a bittersweet note for Jamaica as their 4x400m relay team failed to secure Olympic qualification despite a valiant effort.
Nugent, who has been sparingly raced this season, underscored her readiness for the upcoming Jamaican national championships with a dominant victory in the 100m hurdles.
Clocking a season-best 12.54 seconds, Nugent eased down after clearing the final hurdle, demonstrating both her confidence and control. This performance not only secured her the win but also broke the previous meet record held by fellow Jamaican Megan Tapper since 2023. Nugent’s coach, Chris Johnson, had recently expressed confidence in her form and training, and Sunday's performance was a testament to his faith. The USA’s Kaylah Robinson finished third with a time of 13.07 seconds, while Charisma Taylor trailed behind in second place, clocking 12.83 seconds.
In the men's high jump, the 39-year-old Thomas thrilled the home crowd by breaking his own meet record. Thomas cleared 2.28m, surpassing his previous mark of 2.26 meters set last year. His impressive jump secured him the top spot on the podium, with Jamaica’s Raymond Richards finishing second at 2.21m and Puerto Rico’s Luis Castro taking third with a clearance of 2.18m.
The night’s excitement culminated with the highly anticipated men's 4x400m relay, where Jamaica aimed to qualify for the Olympics by beating Zambia’s 2:59.11 or France’s 2:58.45. The Jamaican quartet put forth a formidable effort, setting a new meet record with a time of 2:59.75. Despite their remarkable performance, they fell short, leaving their hopes for Paris dashed.
Earlier in the evening, Antigua’s Joella Lloyd, who had already achieved the Olympic standard of 11.06 seconds at the NCAA West Regionals, won the Women's 100m. Lloyd clocked an impressive 11.15 seconds, outpacing Bahamian Camille Rutherford, who finished in 11.20 seconds, and 2013 World Championship silver medalist Murielle Ahoure-Demps, who came in third with a time of 11.24 seconds.
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