 After a two-year absence from competition, he returned to the New South Wales championships in 1927, setting a world record of 10m 32s in the on his return.He was again victorious in the in an Australian record time of 4 min 59.8 s. Charlton again returned to his inland job in Gunnedah before returning to Sydney the following year to secure qualification for the 1928 Summer Olympics in Amsterdam by winning the New South Wales championships.In Amsterdam, in the 1500 m, Charlton finished second behind Borg in his heat, before trailing Buster Crabbe home in the semi-final.