Jack Boulton

About Jack Boulton

Young Achiever: Jack’s chasing his dreams

WHEN Jack Boulton first started Little Athletics after moving to Wangaratta, he didn’t feel as if it was something that came naturally to him. Until one day something just clicked. “When I was in year 4, I
made the primary school nationals and went to Penguin in Tasmania,” he said. “That was a shock for me and Dad, because we didn’t think I was very good at that stage. “From then on I slowly started to get better.”

His progression was helped along by a former runner, his dad and coach Jason. “Dad says I’m similar to him with how I run and how I need to be coached, so he understands how to coach me,” Boulton said. “Just the want to be a part of it made me more into the sport and helped me with the progression.” The 100m and long jump had been his original preferences, before he found his love for the 400m. “I slowly stepped out to the 400m because of my head, in a sense,” he said. “It was a bit silly and I put a lot of pressure on myself to keep winning. “Dad said we’ll take a step back from the 100m and go
out to the 400m and have a bit of fun.”

It paved the way for Boulton’s breakout year in 2019, which saw him break the 400m Australian record at the Australian All Schools Championships in Perth. “That was a bit of a shock. I won with a three second PB,” he said. The highlights continued. “The year after I came third in the under-20s at nationals and was selected in the Australian under-20 team to go to Kenya,” he said. “It was cancelled due to
Covid. But I went to a camp up on the Gold Coast.”

The 17-year-old now has his sights set on qualifying for the world juniors in Colombia this year. On top of starting his year 12 studies, he also has another goal. “I’d like to have a go at running at the Stawell Gift again and see how I go,” he said. Now competing against men, the teenager admits it has accelerated his maturity. “I’m friends with lots of open athletes and I’ve become more of a mature athlete,” he said. “It’s helped me to understand how to race and run.”

Last year Boulton was the under-18 national 400m champion and is a now twotime winner of the Parkdale Gift, with a third his target. He’s also set Victorian records in the under-16 100 and 400m events, as well as the under-17s 400m. Boulton also grew up playing football, but gave it up to further his focus. “It was difficult because I enjoy footy, but I knew that I’d rather compete nationally
and travel the world with athletics,” he said.

Source – The Border Mail, 04.02.2022