Biography

Charles Buchta is one of the greatest runners ever at Holy Cross, excelling in races from 60-yards to the mile. More of a team man than an individual star, Buchta anchored the winning Holy Cross two-mile relay teams in the Boston Knights of Columbus Games, the Millrose Games, the New York AC meet, the Queens-Iona Relays and the National AAU Indoor Championship. Buchta also won the New England AAU 1,000. He ran a 9.8 100 at Holy Cross, a 21.4 220, a 47.5 440, a 4:15 mile and is one of a select  group of Crusaders to break 1:50 in the 880, having run a 1:49.8.

The year after he graduated, Buchta won the BAA Lapham 1,000, clocking a time of 2:08.7 - 1,000 in the New York Knights of Columbus Meet, which at the moment was the third fastest time in the world. He also won the 600 in both the National AAU Championships and the New York Metropolitan Championships. He was a semifinalist in the 800-meters in the 1964 Olympics trials.