ATHENS — Georgia track star Matthew Boling’s Olympic dreams are on hold after he narrowly missed qualifying for the finals of the 200 meters on Saturday night at the U.S. Track & Field Trials.
Boling ran his 200-meter semifinal race in 20.27 seconds to finish sixth in his heat and ninth overall, just .04 short of qualifying for the finals.
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Boling, who is expected to be among at least five current UGA athletes expected to be approached by Onward Reserve for an NIL deal on July 1, failed to qualify in the 100 meters last weekend.
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Georgia track & field will, however, still be very well represented at the Tokyo Games (July 23-Aug. 8) as yet another former Bulldog locked into an Olympic spot.
Former UGA pole vaulter Morgann Leleux recorded a personal-best 15 feet, 5-inches vault to finish second and earn a spot on Team USA. Leleux, from New Iberia, La., is a former three-time SEC champion.
Another former Bulldogs All-American, Keenon Laine, made two first-attempt clearances in the high jump on Friday to advance to today’s round of action at 4:30 p.m.
In the heptathlon, former Georgia three-time NCAA champion Kendell Williams is on the verge of advancing to her second straight Olympic Games. Williams has scored 3,924 points in the heptathlon, currently third, and she has already scored the necessary Olympic Standard.
Georgia graduate transfer Asya Reynolds is also still competing for a spot in the heptathlon, currently 14th heading into today’s action.
Lady Bulldogs sophomore Anna Hall was not as fortunate, taking a fall in the hurdles that led to her not starting in any of the other three events.
There are four current or former Georgia track athletes who have already punched their tickets for Team USA at the Tokyo Olympics:
• Kenturah Orji, triple jump
• Garrett Scantling, decathlon
• Jasmine Moore, triple jump
• Elija Godwin, relays
