Charlotte Henrich has set her sights on the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics after a standout first senior season that brought her international medals, Welsh records, and renewed confidence.
At just 20, she has quickly moved forward since winning European Under-20 gold in Finland last year, turning her early promise into real success against senior competitors.
She started her senior career by winning bronze for Great Britain at the World Athletics Relays in May, then picked up silver medals at both the European Championships and the Ultimate Championship. She also came fourth for Wales at the Commonwealth Games.
These achievements have changed the way she thinks about her chances at the Olympics.
“I really want to go,” Henrich told BBC Sport. “Even at Paris 2024, I never watched that event thinking that I could be there.
“I don’t think I ever let myself dream that I could be there, and now it feels like a real possibility.”
Henrich was born in France and moved to England when she was five, where she grew up in Kent. She competes for Wales because of her family’s ties to Carmarthen.
Despite her success, she has struggled with self-confidence for a long time. Her family’s support has helped her manage doubts that started in school and carried into her athletics career.
“In school I was very behind, and I felt like everyone was a lot better than me,” she said.
“Every single day I used to come home and say to my dad, ‘I am rubbish at everything’.
“Now it’s really nice to tell myself that I’m definitely not rubbish at everything.”
Winning the European Under-18 400m title in 2022 put even more pressure on her. Instead of enjoying her success, she felt she had to prove she deserved it.
“When you do well in your junior career, it can have a bit of a negative effect on your performance because you are so desperate to keep proving,” she explained.
Henrich still sometimes finds it hard to see how much she has achieved. Support from fellow athlete Amy Hunt has helped her realize she truly belongs on the team.
Her results this season have made her feel even more at home.
Henrich first aimed to run under 51 seconds, but at the British Championships in June, she finished third with 50.58, breaking Michelle Scutt’s Welsh 400m record, which had stood for 44 years.
Less than a month later, she ran even faster, setting a new record of 50.45 at the London Diamond League.
She finished her season with a strong anchor leg, helping Great Britain win silver in the mixed 4x400m relay at the Ultimate Championship in Budapest in September.
“It’s been quite an unexpected year,” Henrich said. “I’ve definitely gone above and beyond what I thought I could do.”
By season’s end, she had improved her personal best by over a second and gained experience that has made her more confident as she looks ahead in her career.
Now, aiming for Los Angeles is a clear goal for Henrich, and she feels more comfortable talking about it, even though there’s a chance of disappointment.
“A lot of people are too scared to dream because if it doesn’t happen, it’s going to be a big disappointment,” she said.
“But now it’s cool that I can say I want to be in LA. If I’m not in LA, then I’m going to be so disappointed.”
Making it to the Olympics would fulfill a dream she’s had since childhood.
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