Julian Francis Matthews is a New Zealand middle distance athlete.
Education
Born in Nelson in 1988, Matthews was educated at Nelson College from 2002 to 2006, representing the school at basketball as well as athletics. In the 2009-2010 season he finished 176th in the National Collegiate Athletic Association championships 10 km cross country and 9th in the National Collegiate Athletic Association championships 1500 m (outdoors).
Career
Auburn University In 2008, Matthews took up an athletics scholarship at Auburn University in Alabama, where he ran cross country and track. He placed 175th at the 2008 National Collegiate Athletic Association championships 10 km cross country, and 38th in the same race at the National Collegiate Athletic Association South Regional meet. Providence College After a year at Auburn, Matthews transferred to Providence College in Rhode Island.
On 10 May 2010 he ran a personal best time of 3:43.95 for the 1500 m at the Swarthmore Last Chance meet.
The following season he came 130th in the National Collegiate Athletic Association 10 km cross country. At the Boston University Valentine invitational on 14 February 2011, Matthews became the 34th New Zealander and second person from Nelson (after Rod Dixon) to run a sub-four-minute mile, recording a time of 3:58.57 indoors.
He graduated from Providence College in 2013. 2014 Leading up to the Games, he trained in the French Pyrenees In his 1500 m heat at Glasgow, Matthews finished fifth in a time of 3:40.33 and progressed to the final as a fastest loser.
In the final he clocked 3:41.84 in finishing ninth at his first major international meet.
The table below lists Matthews" person best times as of 5 August 2014.