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Boldon wrote off Tebogo, Simbine and Omanyala before the Paris 2024 Olympics, stating he did not see them achieving a podium place at the games in the 100 meters.
Trinidadian sprint legend Ato Boldon has staunchly defended his pre-tournament predictions for the Paris 2024 Olympics, where he expressed skepticism about the potential of African sprinters in the 100 meters.
Boldon, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, had confidently tipped Noah Lyles, Kishane Thompson, and Kenndy Bednarek as the athletes most likely to shine in the event.
Before the games, Boldon expressed doubts about the performance of Botswana's Letsile Tebogo, especially after the young sprinter faced the emotional challenge of losing his mother.
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Boldon also dismissed the chances of Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala and South Africa's Akani Simbine, citing their history of underwhelming performances in major finals. Similarly, he was skeptical about Great Britain's Zharnel Hughes, whom he believed struggled to deliver in the finals of global championships.
"Tebogo has had a tough year losing his mother. I don’t trust any of the African guys, Omanyala or Simbine—they just do not show up in finals in a way that is meaningful. Zharnel Hughes the same," Boldon remarked during an interview.
Boldon's predictions largely came to pass, as African sprinters fell short of expectations in the 100 meters. Omanyala did not even reach the final, Simbine finished just outside the medals in fourth place, and Tebogo, who later won gold in the 200 meters, placed seventh in the 100 meters.
Facing backlash for his comments, with some fans accusing him of dismissing the entire African continent's sprinting prowess, Boldon defended his statements, arguing that they were based on his extensive experience and analysis.
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“In that show, they asked me about Africans and I said, ‘I do not trust those Africans in the 100 because it does not go well in Africa,’" Boldon explained. "Again, me giving my opinions based on the thousands of tapes that I have watched and I am like, ‘the Africans do not do well at the Olympics.’”
Boldon pointed out that Frankie Fredericks remains the only African sprinter to have medaled in the Olympic 100 meters, emphasizing that his views were informed by years of studying and living the sport.
“Everyone was like, ‘How are you going to diss all the Africans?’ and I was like, ‘I am not dissing all of Africa. I was just saying Omanyala, Tebogo, and Simbine—I do not have them on my podium because I have seen them for the last four or five years. How did that turn out?"
Boldon also opined why Tebogo should consider fully transitioning from the 100 meters, suggesting that the Botswanan sprinter might find more success in the 400 meters.
Tebogo played a crucial role in helping his country clinch silver in the 4 by 400 meters relay, with his split during the heats giving this hint as he clocked a sub 44 run, and in the final, gave USA’s Rai Benjamin a run for his money during the anchor leg.
"He does not have the aggression or form to be a 100-meter king. I think if he went to the 400m, I think we would be talking world record,” Boldon concluded.
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