Hawkeye track’s Bartley brings speed from Jamaica to Iowa City
Karayme Bartley has had quite the season, and he can thank two of his Hawkeye teammates for getting him in the Black and Gold.
Iowa track and field athletes head toward the finish line during Musco Twilight on Thursday, April 12, 2018.
March 27, 2019
The 2019 track and field indoor season was quite an eventful one for Iowa’s Karayme Bartley. After redshirting his first season with the Hawkeyes, he came out of the gates full speed in his junior year.
Bartley has spent his entire college career in the state of Iowa, first attending Iowa Central before transferring to Iowa. He may have spent four years in the Hawkeye State, but it’s not where he calls home.
He was born in Lionel Town, Jamaica, and has done his best to transition to living in the Midwest.
“It’s been quite an adjustment,” he said. “I’m still not a fan of the cold, but I like living in Iowa City.”
When he was pressed on where he preferred living — Iowa or Jamaica — Bartley was quick to give an unsurprising, yet logical, answer.
“I definitely like being at the University of Iowa,” he said with a grin on his face. “That being said, I still prefer living in Jamaica by far.”
Despite lacking the flair of his hometown, Iowa has seen Bartley put up many impressive marks in his track career. The Hawkeyes should consider themselves lucky to have him on the squad, especially considering he almost pursued another sport.
“I actually started playing cricket,” he said. “But one day I saw some track athletes and really liked what they were doing. I just thought it looked fun. So I joined the track team.”
Once Bartley got his track career started at Iowa Central, he began specializing in the 400 meters and also running the 60, 100, and 200. His career took a turn, however, when running against a couple of his now-Hawkeye teammates.
“Mar’Yea [Harris] and DeJuan [Frye], they are the reason I came here,” Bartley said. “When I was at Iowa Central, I came here for two meets, and before that, I would usually win my outdoor races, but whenever I came here, I would lose to them. So I thought, if you can’t beat them, join them.”
His thought process has been spot on so far. At the Big Ten Indoor Championships this year, Bartley finished second in both the 200 and 400. In the 200, he set the school record, running a blazing 20.67. At NCAAs, Bartley picked up two first team All-American honors and finished sixth in the country in the 200.
Throw in that he also ran lead leg on the record-setting 1,600-meter relay, which bested the school mark at the Tyson Invitational, and it’s clear Bartley has had a fast start to his Hawkeye career.
But while he has achieved great success, there is still more to be accomplished this outdoor season, including repaying some teammates.
“Since I came here because of Mar’Yea and DeJuan, I really want to give them a team title,” Bartley said. “I also want to get an individual gold medal at Big Tens, and I want to make the final and get a gold medal at NCAAs.”
The previous goals Bartley listed would go a long way for the success of the team, but his final goal comes with a more personal touch.
“I want to go home to Jamaica and make the World Championship team,” Bartley said. “That’s something I’m working hard for, and it would mean a lot to me.”
