BATON ROUGE, LA, May 13 – Favour Ashe of Auburn showcased an impressive performance during the heats of the men’s 100 meter at the 2023 SEC Outdoor Championships. However, the surprising turn of events unfolded when Matthew Boling failed to qualify for the final after posting a disappointing time of 10.36 seconds, securing fifth place in his heat.
Boling’s underwhelming performance has raised concerns among spectators, leaving many wondering about his current form. Could his coach, Caryl Smith Gilbert, be strategically preparing him for the upcoming major championships?
Favour Ashe Leads The Way At SEC Championships
During the preliminaries at the Bernie Moore Track Stadium on Friday, Favour Ashe, representing Auburn, eased all doubts concerning his fitness in recent weeks after he sprinted his way into the final, clocking an impressive time of 10.06 seconds (1.3m/s) to claim victory in heat three.
Notably, his teammate Azeem Fahmi, a World U20 5th place finisher, recorded a personal best of 10.11 seconds, securing his place in the final as well. – Read more: Britton Wilson runs 49.40, sets new collegiate 400m record at SEC Outdoor Championships
Tennessee’s Javonte Harding was victorious in heat two, delivering a season best time of 10.13 seconds (1.4m/s) and second fastest on the day, as he narrowly edged out PJ Austin of Florida, who finished closely with a time of 10.14 seconds.
Godson Oghenebrume Powers Into Final
Meanwhile, LSU’s Godson Oghenebrume, a prominent contender for the title on his home track, powered his way to victory in the first heat, crossing the finish line with a solid time of 10.18 seconds (1.2m/s) after a slow start from the blocks.
Oghenebrume secured the fourth fastest time overall, just behind his teammate Da’Marcus Fleming, who claimed first place in heat four with a time of 10.16 seconds (1.6m/s).
In total, three LSU runners, along with two athletes from Auburn and Florida, successfully advanced to the final of the men’s 100 meter at the 2023 SEC Outdoor Championships.
Joining the fray in the medal race on Saturday will be Dorian Camel of LSU (10.16 seconds), Ryan Martin of Texas A&M (10.17 seconds personal best), and Robert Gregory of Florida (10.23 seconds).
