NBC6’s Constance Jones sat down with Ato Boldon, who is set to return as an analyst for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Now in his 20th year of calling track and field, Ato Boldon is set to return as an analyst for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Boldon, a former Olympian himself, has a rich history with the Games. He's one of the most decorated Olympic sprinters of all time, having won four medals for Trinidad and Tobago.
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TRACK & FIELD AT PARIS OLYMPICS
His journey from athlete to broadcaster has been marked by dedication and a deep love for the sport.
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"People will tell me, ‘Hey, when I hear your voice, I know there's a track meet on. Come honey, you know track and field is on,'" Boldon told NBC6.
Boldon will make his 11th Olympic appearance as an analyst. His first Olympics as an athlete was in 1992 in Barcelona, Spain, and his first as an on-air analyst was in 2008 in Beijing.
"In 2008, Beijing, I over-prepared," Boldon said. "I was in California at the time, I locked myself in my office and literally read event by event, figured out what I thought was going to happen based on my experience, and then wrote for it and studied for it. Luckily, I had a guy called Usain Bolt come along."
Since then, Boldon has honed his skills, bringing nearly two decades of combined experience to his role. His past as a sprinter provides him with a unique perspective on race day.
"There are things that others will miss, and I say, I know exactly what that feels like, I know the repercussions of what that are," he said.
As for who he’s watching for this Olympics, Boldon highlighted a potential shift in dominance in the women’s 100 meters.
"For the first time in a long time, America has a chance to actually win the women's hundreds. Jamaicans have swept it for the last four Olympics," Boldon said. "So if you're a fan of Sha'Carri Richardson, you're gonna want to tune in. Sha'Carri Richardson has a chance to return the gold medal in the 100 to America for the first time since 1996. That's historic."
During the 2024 Paris Olympics, track and field events will be held between Thursday, August 1 and Sunday, August 11.
