I’m a four-time Olympic medalist but car crash saw me swap athletics for politics before TV career
Ato Boldon forged a stellar career in athletics. But the world-renowned sprinter also made a remarkable switch to several different careers following a devastating incident in his life. Ato Boldon (left) enjoyed a successful athletics career before calling it quitsGETTY Before making a name for himself, Boldon had already disrupted the athletics scene when he broke multiple records as a junior. To this day, he still holds the UCLA records in both the 100 meters (9.90) and 200m (19.80) sprints. As a professional Boldon was equally successful, winning four Olympic medals. This includes a silver in the 100m and a bronze in the 200m at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics. Four years later at Sydney 2000, he then scooped the bronze medal in both events. Although, Boldon’s best achievement came in 1997 when he sprinted to the gold medal in the 200m at the IAAF World Championships held in Athens with a time of 20.04 seconds. The star also earned three more silver medals at World Championships. He placed second in the 4×100m relay and 100m dash at Edmonton 2001, and second in the 100m at Gothenburg 1995. Such a career still leaves him in the top-20 all-time in both the 100 and 200m distances. His personal mark of 9.86 seconds in the 100m places him 17th, while his personal best of 19.77 in the 200m ranks him 20th in history. Ato Boldon won four Olympic medals during his career After retiring from sport, Ato Boldon took on a career in politics as a senatorGetty In 2002, Boldon’s life would drastically change. As he was seriously injured in a head-on crash with a drunk driver in Barataria, Trinidad and Tobago, After the crash, he never again ran sub-ten seconds in the 100m or sub-twenty seconds in the 200m, something he had done on 37 separate occasions before 2002. In the 2004 Olympic games, he failed to advance out of the first round of the 100m heats, demonstrating how he was a shadow of his former self as a sprinter. So as his career on the track came to an end, Boldon entered the broadcast booth where he worked for various networks including CBS and NBC between 2009. In 2006, Boldon’s career would take an even more interesting turn. The former sprinter was sworn in as a Senator representing the Opposition United National Congress. Although Boldon resigned on 11 April 2007 after 14 months as a senator, claiming he had a role in sports broadcasting. In 2017, Boldon joined NASCAR on NBC’s broadcast as a features contributor. At 51, Boldon has enjoyed a career across multiple different walks of life and while he isn’t active right now, it’s unlikely to be long before he is on our screens.
Ato Boldon forged a stellar career in athletics.
But the world-renowned sprinter also made a remarkable switch to several different careers following a devastating incident in his life.
Before making a name for himself, Boldon had already disrupted the athletics scene when he broke multiple records as a junior.
To this day, he still holds the UCLA records in both the 100 meters (9.90) and 200m (19.80) sprints.
As a professional Boldon was equally successful, winning four Olympic medals.
This includes a silver in the 100m and a bronze in the 200m at the Atlanta 1996 Olympics.
Four years later at Sydney 2000, he then scooped the bronze medal in both events.
Although, Boldon’s best achievement came in 1997 when he sprinted to the gold medal in the 200m at the IAAF World Championships held in Athens with a time of 20.04 seconds.
The star also earned three more silver medals at World Championships.
He placed second in the 4×100m relay and 100m dash at Edmonton 2001, and second in the 100m at Gothenburg 1995.
Such a career still leaves him in the top-20 all-time in both the 100 and 200m distances.
His personal mark of 9.86 seconds in the 100m places him 17th, while his personal best of 19.77 in the 200m ranks him 20th in history.
In 2002, Boldon’s life would drastically change.
As he was seriously injured in a head-on crash with a drunk driver in Barataria, Trinidad and Tobago,
After the crash, he never again ran sub-ten seconds in the 100m or sub-twenty seconds in the 200m, something he had done on 37 separate occasions before 2002.
In the 2004 Olympic games, he failed to advance out of the first round of the 100m heats, demonstrating how he was a shadow of his former self as a sprinter.
So as his career on the track came to an end, Boldon entered the broadcast booth where he worked for various networks including CBS and NBC between 2009.
In 2006, Boldon’s career would take an even more interesting turn.
The former sprinter was sworn in as a Senator representing the Opposition United National Congress.
Although Boldon resigned on 11 April 2007 after 14 months as a senator, claiming he had a role in sports broadcasting.
In 2017, Boldon joined NASCAR on NBC’s broadcast as a features contributor.
At 51, Boldon has enjoyed a career across multiple different walks of life and while he isn’t active right now, it’s unlikely to be long before he is on our screens.
