Matthew Boling, Arian Smith looking to qualify for NCAA championships

Georgia’s Matthew Boling and Arian Smith are trying to qualify for the NCAA championships in the 100-meter dash.

Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver and track star Arian Smith is among the fastest players in all of college football. He isn’t as fast as Georgia’s Matthew Boling, but he’s not far behind.

Matthew Boling finished second in the SEC in the 100-meter dash with a time of 9.97 seconds. Boling’s time is close to being good enough to help him compete to qualify for the Tokyo Summer Olympics.

The U.S. Olympic qualifying standards requires runners to run a 100-meter dash time under 10.05 seconds in order to be one of the 32 athletes competing to represent the country. Boling’s time at the SEC championships may not be considered due to the wind conditions, but he is on track to be among the competitors for one of those coveted qualifying slots.

Boling, Smith, and other Georgia track standouts will compete in Jacksonville, Florida, this weekend to qualify for the 2021 NCAA Division I Men’s and Women’s Outdoor Track and Field Championships. The championships are held in Eugene, Oregon, on June 9-12.

Shaun Maswanganyi (Houston), Terrance Laird (LSU), and JoVaughn Martin (FSU) are expected to be Matthew Boling’s top competition in the 100-meter dash. Here’s a look at Boling’s impressive run at the SEC championships:

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Jan 1, 2021; Atlanta, GA, USA; Georgia Bulldogs wide receiver Arian Smith (11) makes a catch over Cincinnati Bearcats cornerback Arquon Bush (9) in the second quarter of the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports