Cravont Charleston: Things to know about the 2023 USA Track and Field 100m champion
Did you know that the 25-year-old sprinter from North Carolina is coached by an Olympic champion? Find out more about the athlete who followed in the footsteps of Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley to become the US national champion in the 100m.
Athletics
Cravont Charleston stunned the favourites at the USA Track and Field Championships 2023, when he ran the 100m event in 9.95 to claim the national title and qualify for August's 2023 World Athletics Championships.
Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Charleston narrowly defeated 2019 100m world champion Christian Coleman by just 0.01 seconds in his first U.S. championships final. Prior to becoming the U.S. champion, Charleston had never reached an NCAA final in college or a USATF final.
After his surprising achievement, let's explore some facts about the emerging American sprint star.
Charleston: Coached by Olympic champion
Charleston is coached by Allen Johnson, who won the gold medal in the 110-metre hurdles at the Atlanta 1996 Summer Olympic Games. Johnson also secured titles at the World Championships on four occasions.
The newly crowned U.S. champion in the 100m has been under Johnson's guidance for the past seven years. Charleston commutes approximately 290km from Charlotte to Greensboro almost every day to train with his coach.
Despite encountering setbacks due to injuries, the 25-year-old has consistently received the necessary support.
“He (Allen Johnson) has been awesome. I have known him since I was 18 years old. He is like a mentor slash friend, and he has helped me navigate my career,” Charleston told MileSplit.
29 Jul 1996: Allen Johnson of the USA celebrates after winning the 110 meter hurdle finals at Olympic Stadium at the 1996 Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. Allen finished with a time of 12.95 seconds, a new olympic record.
Ambitious goals at 2023 Worlds
In the last three editions of the World Athletics Championships, the U.S. champion has also gone on to become the world champion. Justin Gatlin achieved this feat in 2017, Christian Coleman in 2019 and Fred Kerley in 2022.
Charleston aims to replicate this success next month in Budapest. “Once you’re there, you’re there. I know I can race the big guys,” he told NBC after his win. “The next goal is to win a World championship. I’m trying to stay calm, stay focused on the next part. This is just a stepping stone.”
Charleston: A late bloomer
During this season, Charleston has consistently clocked several sub-10 second times, but it took him some time to achieve such regularity.
He first broke the 10-second barrier only last year at the Geneva International meeting and this June at the Paavo Nurmi Games in Finland, he achieved his personal best of 9.90 seconds.
The North Carolina native also achieved a third-place finish at the 2022 Golden Gala in Rome, while securing second place at the 60m indoor event in Lievin, France, in February 2022.
Additionally, the 25-year-old competes in the 200m and 4x100m relay events, with his fastest time in the 200m standing at 20.16 seconds.
In 2017 Charleston became the U20 Pan American champion in the 4x100m relay held in Trujillo, Peru, alongside his teammates Anthony Schwartz, Sean Hooper, and Tarrick Brock. They secured victory ahead of Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago.
No shoe sponsor
Charleston is currently without a shoe sponsor, although he receives support from the running company Tracksmith.
The last time a U.S. 100m champion faced a similar situation was in 2012 when Justin Gatlin triumphed after returning from his doping ban.
Out of the last 22 U.S. champions, 19 athletes were sponsored by either Nike or Adidas.
The 2023 World Athletics Championships, featuring Charleston in the starting lineup, will take place from 19 to 27 August in Budapest, Hungary.