Oklahoma State University Athletics
Charlie Bartholomew Helps Lead Team USA to U20 4x400 Mixed Relay World Championship
August 03, 2022 | Cowboy Cross Country & Track
STILLWATER – Oklahoma State sprinter Charlie Bartholomew led off the gold medal Team USA 4x400 Meter Mixed Relay on Tuesday at the U20 World Athletics Championships in Santiago de Cali, Colombia.
Bartholomew led off the United States relay in both Monday's prelim and Tuesday's final, helping the team set championship records in both races, capped off with a national-record time of 3:17.69.
"Charlie was determined to go to Columbia and represent the USA and has showed the very determination he has developed," OSU Sprints Coach Giles McDonnell said. "It is not easy for a freshman to train this long and without the structure of in-season practices. Best of all is he isn't satisfied. I'm not sure he'll even be satisfied based on the type of competitor he is. As long as he keeps it all in perspective, he'll be special."
The U20 World Championships wrap up a historic freshman season for Bartholomew, who broke a 50-year-old school record in the 400 Meters with his time of 45.40 seconds last month at the USA U20 Championships in Eugene, Ore. His time at the U.S. U20 Championships made him the fourth-fastest 400 Meter runner in the world under the age of 20 and the 67th-fastest 400 runner in the world overall.
Bartholomew ran consistently fast throughout the outdoor season, but his big breakthrough came at the Big 12 Outdoor Championships when he broke the 46-second barrier for the first time in his career and qualified for the final and earning an All-Big 12 honor.
From there, he continued his upward momentum at the USA U20 Championships with his 45.40 personal record, which earned him a spot in the relay pool for the United States.
"Like a lot of freshmen, Charlie had to grow and learn and I was really proud of the growth we have seen this year," McDonnell said. "Throughout the season he has shown he could run this fast. He had some outstanding relay splits this season, so it was only a matter of time before that translated into individual success."
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Players Mentioned
Sprints
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