Charlie Dobson, a 400-meter standout who has gained attention recently, is a man to watch going into his Olympic debut and he is keen to live up to the hype.
He initially gained his reputation as a sprinter over shorter distances, but in 2021, on his lone circuit around the track, he tied the British record for the fastest time of the year.
Subsequently, Dobson redirected his attention towards the longer distance and secured his spot in the summer Olympics in Paris by winning the 400m in the UK Championships, following his silver medal in the European Championship in Rome.
Dobson remarked, “The race felt really good.” “I had one objective when I started. At the end of the day, I completed the task at hand, therefore I was pretty pleased with that. I had concentrated on myself and my lane.
This has been the culmination of much work. It’s rather incredible to have finished it and be able to announce that I’m heading to Paris after a difficult few years.
“I probably wouldn’t have believed it a few years ago if you had told me I would be in this position.”
Iwan Thomas, the British 400-meter legend, knew that Dobson could easily win the gold medal in one lap, even though Dobson may not have anticipated his breakthrough over the longer 400-meter distance.
“The 200-meter boy, Charlie Dobson, the ginger ninja. Thomas stated, “I think he could run extremely fast if he steps up and trains for the 400. After two years, this comment has shown to be prescient.
After winning the Meeting Citta Di Savona in Italy to start the season, the Essex star set a personal best time of 44.38 seconds in Rome to take the second spot on the podium at the European Championship.
Though he understands he has his work cut out for him to add Olympic silverware to his collection, he has big-stage experience behind him having won global and European 4x400m championships.
“It’s exciting to see such a large field of athletes in the 400m,” he remarked.
The 400m running community in Europe has advanced significantly in recent years. Although I have to pursue Matt Hudson-Smith in Paris, it will be beneficial to participate in a race.
“I sense that momentum is now on my side. Being able to attend the Olympics this year is the cherry on top for me, as it’s the largest athletic event globally and I missed it due to injuries three years ago.
Dobson’s ascent has been aided by a collaboration between SportsAid and Pitching In, an amateur sports program founded by Entain, the company behind Ladbrokes and Coral.
The 24-year-old, who was in the yearly group of 50 athletes in 2020 and 2021, will be traveling to Paris this summer with Team GB, where he will be accompanied by fellow alumnus Luke Whitehouse.
“Being a part of the Pitching In program was pretty cool and really helped me,” he said.
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