Ato Boldon goes on air with CBS.

[Flex]

Ato Boldon goes on air with CBS.
T&T Guardian Reports.

Former 200 metres world champion Ato Boldon will next month be part of the CBS broadcasting team for its coverage of the NCAA Track and Field Championships.
The 31-year-old Los Angeles-based retired sprinter, who is also part of the Guardian in Education project, is expected to share the broadcast booth with US track-covering veterans Larry Rawson and Dwight Stones.
Boldon will be involved in calling all the sprint events at the meet, including the hurdles, as well as providing colour coverage for the races.
“CBS contacted me through my management, HSI” Boldon said of the hook-up, in an interview yesterday.
“My name was suggested to Craig Silver (producer of the show) by a mutual friend of ours, Tom Feuer, who is one of the most knowledgeable track broadcasters today.”
The deal was finalised last week.
Boldon said he was excited about the broadcast gig but admitted that he was also quite nervous, even though track is a territory most familiar to him and this is, by far, not his first broadcast outing.
“I have been locked in my office at home  making sure I know everything I need to know — all the stats and info about what I am about to undertake.”
He has also re-established contact with broadcaster friends from around the world for advice.
“It is important to me to learn from those whom I think are the best.”
Boldon’s commentary experience includes  Eurosport  and several days of in-studio broadcast for BBC, in 1999,  when he was injured and could not run at the World Championships in Seville, Spain.
“That is the work I am most proud of because it is the best I have done, and growing up in Trinidad, I hold the BBC in the highest esteem in terms of quality of broadcasting.”
Last year Boldon shared duties with Anil Roberts of Gayelle TV for the station’s commentary of the  Olympic trials from the Hasley Crawford Stadium and was the co-host of the First Citizen’s Bank Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year Awards two months ago.
He believes that his experience on the track is what will add a difference to the coverage.
“I will be the only one in the booth who is a two-time NCAA sprint champion, so I know what this meet requires of the competitors. Also, there are technical things which happen in sprint races which determine who wins or loses.”
The NCAA Track and Field Championships will air on CBS on June 18 from 2:30 PM. The  championships will be contested from June 8 to 11 in Sacramento, on the same track as the last two US Olympic trials.

[Savannah boy]

I eh like to see dat yuh know...31 year old retired sprinter. If Frankie Fredricks could do it...why not Ato? Frankie does pace he self and doh run in every blasted big meet it have. Dat is how he escapes injury. Jes now Ato go get big like Crawfie.

[real madness]

I eh like to see dat yuh know...31 year old retired sprinter. If Frankie Fredricks could do it...why not Ato? Frankie does pace he self and doh run in every blasted big meet it have. Dat is how he escapes injury. Jes now Ato go get big like Crawfie.

Yeah, I was suprised he decided to retire so early. I thought he would stick around for one more Olympic games, at least the 4 x 100 relay and probably the 200m.  However, the impression I got from the interviews he did regarding his retirement, Ato is no longer motivated to compete a high level after the injuries and car accident.  Also I spoke to his mother and he is very interested in pursuing other goals at this stage in his life (i.e. TV).  Ato also believes that sprinting is in good hands (more like feet) with Darrel Brown, Marc Burns, Jacey Harper, Nicconor Alexander and the younger guys such as Marcus Duncan, Jamil James, Dwight Neptune, etc.

Although he has retired, I hope he stays involved with local track and field.  Whether it be coaching, administration, mentoring or whatever he can do to help local athletes.  Track and field don't get a lot of support in Trinidad, so hopefully Ato will be of assistance.

[jusme]

well Ato has been competing at a very high level for a very long time.  In 1992, he was already the fastest man in Trinidad at age 18, competing in the Olympics, and winning the world juniors.

Maurice Greene who is the same age as him was watching the Atlanta Olympics from the stands, when Ato was a double medallists.  And you don't see Frankie in them big races again even though he is still competing.  Like Ato always says it's not the years it's the mileage.