Matthew Boling facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Matthew Boling

Boling competing in the mixed 4 × 400 m relay at the 2023 World Athletics Championships
Personal information
Born	(2000-06-20) June 20, 2000 (age 25) Houston, Texas, U.S.
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Sport
Sport	Track and field
Event(s)	Sprints Long jump Relays
College team	Georgia Bulldogs
Coached by	Caryl Smith-Gilbert
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	Outdoor 100 m: 9.98 (2022) 200 m: 19.92 (2022) 400 m: 44.84 (2024) Long jump: 8.02 m (26 ft 3.62303150 in) (2021) Indoor 60 m: 6.56 (2022) 200 m: 20.12 (2023) 400 m: 45.51 (2021) Long jump: 8.25 m (27 ft 0.67814961 in) (2022)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing the  United States World Championships Gold 2023 Budapest 4 × 400 m relay Gold 2023 Budapest 4 × 400 m mixed World Athletics Relays Gold 2024 Nassau 4 × 400 m relay World U20 Championships Silver 2018 Tampere 4 × 400 m relay Pan American U20 Championships Gold 2019 San José 100 m Gold 2019 San José 200 m Gold 2019 San José 4 × 100 m relay Gold 2019 San José 4 × 400 m relay
Updated on August 19, 2023; 2 years ago (August 19, 2023).

Matthew Boling, born on June 20, 2000, is an American athlete. He is famous for his speed in running races and his amazing long jumps. He won four gold medals at the 2019 Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in 2019. These wins were for the 100-meter race, 200-meter race, and two relay races (4 × 100 m and 4 × 400 m). He also helped set new world records for athletes under 20 in both relay events.

In 2018, Boling was part of the American 4 × 400 m relay team at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships. His team later won a silver medal. More recently, in 2023, he won a gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships. He was part of the mixed 4 × 400 m relay team that set a new world record for that event.

Matthew Boling became very well known in 2019 during his high school track career. In March, he made the longest high school long jump in ten years. He jumped an impressive 26 feet, 3.5 inches (8.01 meters). Later, in April 2019, he broke the high school 100-meter record. He ran it in 9.98 seconds, which was very fast, even with some wind helping him. He finished his high school career by running a super-fast 44.74-second part of a 4 × 400 m relay. This helped his team win in one of the fastest times for a high school team that year.

Early Life and Starting Track

Matthew Boling was born in Houston, Texas, on June 20, 2000. He has a twin brother named Michael. They grew up in Houston and went to River Oaks Baptist School. This is where Matthew first started running track. Later, both brothers attended Strake Jesuit College Preparatory.

At first, Matthew competed in the high jump. Then, he started to focus more on the long jump and the 400-meter race. In 2018, he ran the first part of the USA's 4 × 400 m relay team at the 2018 IAAF World U20 Championships. His team went on to win a silver medal. In November of that year, he decided to go to the University of Georgia for college.

Becoming a Star Athlete

Matthew Boling became very popular in 2019. He ran the 100-meter race in an amazing 9.98 seconds on April 27, 2019. This was a new high school record, even though there was some wind helping him. Because of his speed, some people started calling him "White Lightning." However, Matthew said he didn't like people focusing on his race.

He also made a huge long jump of 26 feet, 3 inches (8.00 meters) at the Texas Relays. This was the longest jump by a high school athlete in 10 years. He won both of these events at the Texas UIL 6A State Championships. He set a new US high school record in the 100 m with a time of 10.13 seconds. He also helped his high school team get third place in the 4 × 100 m relay. He became famous again for his part in the 4 × 400 m relay. He ran his part in 44.74 seconds, helping his team win from far behind.

After winning the 100 m and 200 m at the USA U20 Championships, Boling won both events at the 2019 Pan American U20 Athletics Championships in San José, Costa Rica. He set his personal best times in both races. His 100 m time of 10.11 seconds was also a championship record. He then helped the USA's 4 × 100 m and 4 × 400 m relay teams set new World U20 records. For his amazing performances, he was named the National Boys Track & Field Player of the Year.

College Track Career

Matthew Boling joined the Georgia Bulldogs track team in college.

2020 Season

His first season at Georgia was cut short because of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the indoor season, Boling competed in the 60 m, 200 m, long jump, and the 4 × 400 m relay. At the SEC Indoor Championships, he finished second in the 200 m race.

Boling stands before entering the starting blocks.

Boling (center) sprinting

Boling representing the Georgia Bulldogs at the Arkansas Invite in 2020.

2021 Season

When track events started again, Boling focused on the 200 m for the indoor season. At the SEC Championships, he was disqualified in the final for stepping out of his lane. However, he had run fast enough in an earlier race to qualify for his first NCAA Indoor Championships. There, he won the 200 m indoor NCAA national title. Boling ran a time of 20.19 seconds, which was one of the fastest times ever.

In the outdoor season, Boling also competed in the 100 m and 4 × 100 m relay. At the SEC Outdoor Championships, he finished second in the 100 m and third in the 200 m. His 200 m time of 20.06 seconds was his personal best. Boling ran the last part of Georgia's 4 × 100 m relay team, helping them finish second. At the NCAA Outdoor Championships, he finished sixth in the 100 m and fifth in the 200 m.

Boling then went to the US Olympic Trials. He finished 14th in the 100 m semi-finals and ninth in the 200 m semi-finals. This ended his first full college season and his first try for the Olympics.

2022 Season

At the 2022 SEC Outdoor Track & Field Championships, Boling placed fourth in the 100 m. He won the 200 m race with a time of 20.01 seconds. At the 2022 NCAA Division I Outdoor Track and Field Championships, Boling finished sixth in the 100 m. He placed second in the 200 m race.

2023 Season

In 2023, Boling ran the third part of the mixed 4 × 400 m relay at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest. His team set a new world record of 3:08.80 and won first place. In September 2023, he decided to become a professional athlete. He said he wanted to compete on the world stage. He felt very focused during world championships.

Professional Track Career

2024 Season

At the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships, Boling was part of the US team for the 4 × 400 m relay. His team earned a silver medal.

In the 2024 US Olympic Qualifying Trials, Boling reached the finals in the 400 m, finishing eighth. In the 200 m, he did not qualify for the finals, ending up with the ninth fastest time. To make the 2024 Olympics, he needed to finish in the top three for an event. Boling did not automatically qualify and was not chosen for a relay team.

Statistics

Information from World Athletics profile unless otherwise noted.

Personal Best Times and Marks

International Competitions

Representing the  United States

Year	Competition	Position	Event	Time	Wind (m/s)	Venue	Notes
2018	World U20 Championships	1st (semi 3)	4 × 400 m relay	3:05.57	N/A	Tampere, Finland	WU20L, Q
2019	Pan American U20 Championships	1st	100 m	10.11	+0.5	San José, Costa Rica	PB
		1st	200 m	20.31	-0.8		WU20L, PB
		1st	4 × 100 m relay	38.62	N/A		WU20R
		1st	4 × 400 m relay	2:59.30	N/A		WU20R
2023	World Athletics Championships	H1 1st	4 × 400 m relay	2:58.47		Budapest, Hungary
		1st	Mixed 4 × 400 m Relay	3:08.80			WR

National Championships

• NCAA results from Track & Field Results Reporting System.

Track Records Held by Boling

As of July 2025, Matthew Boling holds these track records for 100 meters and 200 meters.

100 Meters Record

200 Meters Record