hide caption. Knighton continues to show up toschool. Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser. I am not the perfect 200m runner, I am still learning as I run it.". Zango produced one of the first stand-out performances of 2021. I talked to him before the USA Championships, and I said, You have to run the 200 meters. You cant take it as, Oh, my God, I have to win this USA Trials. If you run 200 meters to the best of your ability, youre going to be fine.. In the end, he had help from former Hillsborough football and track star Jeremiah Green in making the decision to go ahead and sign. He would hit the weight room. Knighton has to look no further than an Olympic peer, Trayvon Bromell, another former Florida high school sprinting star, to realize the possibility and fragility of world-class speed. Jamaicas reigning Olympic champion Omar McLeod did not start the final after winning his heat in 13.16, with Holloway a hundredth of a second faster in the second heat. Hes learning how to run, how to use his mechanics, how to maximize every inch, Terry said. Knighton expressed surprise, saying he did not think he would achieve such a time until he was 20 or 21. Erriyon Knighton: The Sprinter HHS Today He was just a receiver for the football team. Knighton finished fourth in 19.93 a stunning performance for a teenager. He is younger than any US Olympic male track and field athlete since miler Jim Ryun in 1964, according to Olympedia.org. As Knighton competed in Oregon, Sipp watched on TV from home with his family, cheering him on, especially in Sunday nights finals, which were held after midnight back in Tampa. "Well for some, maybe. Hillsborough Highs Erriyon Knighton, just 17 years old, won his 200-meters semifinal in Tokyo. Erriyon Knighton on the track at Jesuit High School in Tampa, Fla. Knighton finished third during the final in the mens 200-meter run at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials in June 2021 to qualify for the Olympic team. Stine Horror Film 'Fear Street Part One: 1994', Laurence Fishburne Says He Still Does Not Know Why 'Matrix 4' Excluded Him. Running in 200m against other 16-year-olds, he stormed home in 20.33 seconds. It was his third straight national title, and fourth in five years, dating back to the 8-under class. Ryun is pleased to see yet another 17-year-old able to represent his country as Knighton prepares for his own shot at Olympic glory. In Tokyo, Knighton finished a close fourth after the Canadian gold medalist Andre de Grasse and his American teammates Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles. After that race, he gestured to "Knighton" on his bib, as if to say, "Remember this name.". Talking about Erriyon Knightons parents, His parents names are not known. Follow the instructions for disabling the ad blocker on the site youre viewing. The current age of Erriyon Knighton is 17 years old. "By the end of that year, I realised that I was kind of separated from the pack and faster than most people.". "Now,he might catch his mom, though.". 100 days to the Tokyo Olympics: Twenty-five US athletes to watch, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. For that, Knighton will have to refine his start and gain the strength to stand up taller as he runs, raising his hips to get full leg extension. Erriyon Knighton is now the fourth-fastest man over 200 metres in recorded human history. "It has calmed down now. He finished just off the podium in Wednesday's final. Running in 200m against other 16-year-olds, he stormed home in 20.33 seconds. Asked whether a college football career could be in the cards, the teenage sprinter said: "Nah," the Associated Press reported in late June. Its crazy. He finished fourth in 19.93 seconds behind the Olympic champion Canadian Andre De Grasse, silver medallist Kenny Bednarek, and bronze you can hear one voice from the stands swear in disbelief as the stagger unfurls and the extent of Knighton's yawning advantage is revealed. "Both got me the same results so far, so I don't know. In June, the then 17-year-old became the youngest American man to make a United States Olympic athletics team in 57 years. He hits halfway at a gallop. The next Olympics are only three years off, so Knighton can build on whatever hes able to do in Tokyo when hes 20 and competing for a spot in Paris in 2024, or even at age 24 when the Olympics are in Los Angeles in 2028. He continued to break his own under-18 record, running a 20.31 in Clermont in April, then a 20.30 in California in May. "It felt great," said the mild-mannered Jackson, who won by more than 13 feet and who opened the day by throwing 55-05.50, about 10 feet better than his personal best, set last year. Hes Getting Faster. He says there are a lot of people he doesnt know that hate on him out of jealousy. Only three Americans of any age - Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and Josephus Lyles - went faster that year. "The shot put finals are always on that first night. From then on, Knighton was destined to be wearing spikes, rather than shoulder pads. Knighton hadnt really trained in a weight room, so while he could squat 300 and bench 185 when COVID started, he was able to improve that to squatting 500 and benching 245, adding strength to his 170-pound frame. According to an HHS Today article from February 2021, Knighton was a receiver for the high school football team. The home team holler on the touchline as their man's easy, fluid stride eats up the field and carries him to the endzone. Hubris fed by hype. They have talked him out of the Hellcat, with its exorbitant insurance premiums. Living in Tampa, with the championships from the Buccaneers and Lightning and even the Rays, the type of athlete that he is, hes embracing putting the city on his back and bringing awareness to track and field, Terry said. For now, hes only looking ahead one month, to an exciting chance to introduce himself to the world. Congrats, to Joe Sipp for seeing the potential in Erriyon as a track & field athlete. Instead, as school gridiron grew cold amid an enforced shutdown, a 16-year-old Knighton focused on his side hustle: track. 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View this post on Instagram Erriyon Knighton is an American runner who broke the record set by the legendary runner Usain Bolt in the It is just the start of a four-minute highlights reel,external-link posted in June 2020. Terry has to call his name to break the reverie. I didnt grow up with his name; I grew up with my name, Knighton said recently over a leisurely lunch with his other coach, Jonathan Terry, who operates a Tampa track club called My Brothers Keeper. As of today, Erriyon Kinghtons parents identities remain unknown to the general public. A slender, rangy figure in home-team red gathers a kick return on his 10-yard line. The biggest thing is dont let the experience overwhelm you, and at the same time, enjoy it.. I guess he wanted to show everybody he could make it work.. Stay updated on the latest news with our carefully curated newsletters, Discover the latest news and more with instant updates, Who is Erriyon Knighton? "Before then you could have asked me what 100m was and I wouldn't have known. Erriyon Knighton does not currently have a partner. Mo., still holds the 8-under AAU national record in the javelin,a sport he's left behind. Congratulations Erriyon. News from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla. They told him they saw a lot of potential. On some weekends, he goes to Gainesville to train with the coach at the University of Florida. Knighton noticed that the workouts for track were much harder than football. He raced the 100 meter dash at Wharton High. "That Tokyo experience is something no-one can ever take from you, I will always have that experience. Knighton didnt play football that first fall, but Sipp, now in his 15th year as the schools offensive line coach and head track coach, told him his speed was something that would be special, that he would do well if he wanted to run track. With the Tokyo Olympics getting underway later this month and a 200m personal best of 19.84 seconds, 2021 could be the year of Erriyon Knightons making. He had been sprinting for a little over a year, after being encouraged to do so by his football coach as a way to sharpen his game as a wide receiver. Only the top three spots make the Olympic team, and he was competing with a world champion in Noah Lyles, 23, who just missed out on a goal of making the team as a teenager five years ago, finishing fourth in the 2016 Olympic Trials. Read about our approach to external linking. Knightons mother wasnt surprised either. In an interview with Track and Field News, given back in February, Knighton remarked, I believe if I work hard, I will eventually develop to be a world-class athlete. Sipp said the sport is still so new to him that he cant appreciate just how big an opportunity he has. Its been quite a process, and to see his progression, year after year, has been amazing, said Jonathan Terry, now in his third year as his AAU coach with the My Brothers Keeper track program in Riverview, Fla., accompanying him to Oregon for the trials. There are deep passes down the sideline, jet sweeps that show his ability to pull away from people. He was just a fraction of a second off Usain Bolts world record in the 200. Holloway, the reigning world champion in the 110m hurdles who is among the hot favorites in Tokyo, clocked 13.10 seconds ahead of Olympian Devon Allen (13.22) and fellow American Daniel Roberts (13.23) as they tuned up for next months US trials. Knighton is qualified to race at the US Olympic trials that start in two weeks at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. He trusts Coach (Terry) with his life, and thats big. You have entered an incorrect email address! Sometimes at training, Knighton stares into the distance, daydreaming. Hes not allowed to run for a college track team, but thats not going to stop him from going to university, especially since it will be paid for by Adidas. As for his own mentality, its pretty much the same with an increased obligation to work hard. But two years ago, he was afraid of the Armwood and Tech guys.. World indoor records from Hugues Fabrice Zango and Ryan Crouser, plus a handful of world U20 records set by teenage talents Sasha Zhoya and Erriyon Knighton in 2021, are among the latest marks to have been ratified. Hes not afraid to compete, and thats a big part of being successful in any athletic endeavor.. Its almost like hes a pogo stick, Knightons coach said. "Today, he was warming up (in the shot put) throwing 59 (feet). This guy was in a different league. After his freshman year, Knighton joined a summer track team. Way to represent Tampa! pic.twitter.com/9hvgiiSOHO. He also broke the Jamaican sprinting legend's under-20 200-meter world record set in 2004 less than a month later at the U.S. Olympic trials, USA Today Sports reported in late June. Knighton was sent down a different path. Despite his sudden rise on the track, Knighton was approached by an array of first division schools to play football, but with a number of wins already under his belt and a growing athletics portfolio, Knighton stuck to the track to mark the start of whats expected to be an exciting career. This spring, Knighton improved his 200 personal best to 19.49 and his 100 to 10.04. Fellow Florida athlete and Jamaican international Briana Williams, then 17, went with Nike in January of 2020. Im like, Man, youre way faster than those guys. He turned professional before he turned 17, according to the Team USA website. Your email address will not be published. But his 131 is still a great throw and he's OK with it. In other news, Police suspect the woman who caused Tour de France crash has fled to Germany. The Big Red Boys & Girls Track & Field programs are well coached and represented! He was also born in the United States on January 29, 2004. Knighton's speed, 6ft 3in frame, sure hands and aggression had the country's best college football programmes - Alabama, Florida State, Tennessee and others - preparing offers. He watches a lot of film, studies his competitors. Bolt is the classic story of the ingredients you want to have things go right strong family support, friends, really good, stable management and good coaching., If Knighton avoids serious injury and maintains a solid support structure, while his career continues on a normal trajectory, Weyand said, he appears likely to break Bolts 200-meter record of 19.19 once thought untouchable. And, break a leg, in winning Gold in Tokyo Erriyon! Just how well can Knighton do in Tokyo? Perhaps, Knighton matches Bolt using the same criteria that made the Jamaican great. "It's the first night, and you know how electrifying the first night of the Olympics is with everything going on," Christian said. Erriyon Knighton, just out of high school, has already lowered Bolts world junior record in the 200 meters. I thought if I got a little more training, I could be one of them.. More than 50 years later, he still holds the American under-20 record in the mile (3:51.3) and had kept the 800-meter record until this May. Knighton also made the Time 100 Next list announced Sept. 28, along with 17-year-old figure skater Ilia Malinin. Students, teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, the place erupted, said Eric Brooks, the schools athletic director. Only Usain Bolt had ever gone faster at under-18 level. I wanted to do track all year long, he said. Support our work by subscribing to FLORIDA TODAY. You couldnt get him tired, he said. 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