Cork runner Charlie O'Donovan joins an elite club of sub four-minute milers

CORKMAN Charlie O’Donovan, 20 added his name to an illustrious list of athletes who have broken four minutes for the mile over the weekend during the David Hemery Valentine Invitational Meet on Saturday.

The setting for this historic performance by the Cork man was the Track & Tennis Center on the Boston University campus.

After missing last year’s outdoor season through injury, Charlie got his indoor season off to a flying start with a time of 1:51 for 800m during a Distance Medley relay last month. 

He followed up with a second place finish in a mile race in New York on 1st February in a new PB of 4:02.27, the perfect preparation for Saturday.

The significance of running a sub-four minute mile stands alone without the need for additional supporting detail, but Charlie’s closing kick in the race only added to the magnitude of the moment. 

He made his move with 70 meters to go with a nifty slide into lane two after sitting on the shoulder of frontrunner Patrick Gregory who had appeared to create a bit of separation at the start of the bell lap. 

Charlie deftly passed Gregory approaching the final turn, with four other runners riding his coattails, crossing the line in a time of 3:58.95.

After the race Charlie immediately set a new target for himself, to break 3:40 for 1,500m.

Like his Villanova coach Marcus O’Sullivan and his Cork coach Ken Nason, all three are the product of Colaiste Chriost Ri and Ireland’s leading club Leevale who also boast other sub4 minute milers in Mark Carroll, his coaching team of Marcus O'Sullivan and Ken Nason and Ciaran O'Lionard.