Elite sprinters generally strike the track and lift off again in about nine hundredths of a second. "That Tokyo experience is something no-one can ever take from you, I will always have that experience. 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. The teenager did not break Bolt's world record (19.19 seconds set in 2009) and Olympic record (19.30 seconds set in 2008). 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. Jackson's dad,Christian, a five-time world champion, won a silver medal at the 2008 BeijingOlympics and in 2004 had the top four shot put throws in the world. At just 18 years old, the under 20 world record holder is hungry for more, starting with the Lausanne Diamond League Everything was online and he didnt really have access to a computer, so it was good to have him here. 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.. Your email address will not be published. Knighton, who ranks seventh among Americans in the 200m since the start of this year, will face stiff competition to crack the top three and make the US Olympic team As a teenager representing his country on the largest platform in sports, Knighton has a chance to be a national star, one of the biggest stories of the Olympics. Running in 200m against other 16-year-olds, he stormed home in 20.33 seconds. Who Is Erriyon Knighton? Erriyon Knighton, a 17-year-old whose 19.88 in the semifinals broke Bolts under-20 record, took third with a time of 19.84. He was also born in the United States on January 29, 2004. Furthermore, his mother tweets as @knighton Ms. Erriyon also has two siblings named Nasja and Quay. "I think I signed an autograph actually, it got that chaotic. You will be there,' Sipp said. I definitely can be faster, he said. Adding that he and his family would like to be a little more included with these things. The current age of Erriyon Knighton is 17 years old. 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. 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. You may have more than one ad-blocker installed. He continued to play football through his junior season as a wide receiver and a safety who could squat 500 pounds and deadlift 450. I feed off of stuff like that.. 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. Two and a half years ago, hed never been in a track meet. I think its remarkable, Ryun said. The 17-year-old from Tampa, Fla., has made a dramatic rise in track, including knocking down an under-18 world record set by Jamaican track legend Usain Bolt in 2003. Hes going to have quite an experience, and I know the Lord will give him the right things to say, the right things to do, Ryun said by phone Tuesday night. The 12-year-old soon-to-be seventh-grader won his firstAAU discus national title on Wednesday by nearly 32 feet, throwing a personal-best 40.01 meters (131-03 feet). It wasnt serious, Knighton said. He thought he could win. Months later, he finished fourth in the 200 at the Tokyo Olympics, so his victory at this low-key meet was not unexpected. 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. Hes like a baby colt thats born and can barely walk, Holloway said. A two-minute highlight reel shows not only his quickness but a shiftiness and ability to weave through defenders, scoring 15 touchdowns in his two seasons of varsity ball. You just go run the 200 meters, Holloway said. Mo., still holds the 8-under AAU national record in the javelin,a sport he's left behind. "I only started running track in the ninth grade," Knighton remembered. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/06/23/sports/olympics/track-sprinter-knighton-bolt.html. I think the betting would be that he could probably do it, he said. Sports Science Is Changing How Female Olympians Train. At the end of the day, they really just help me. Embedded in the community for over 20 years, we have established ourselves as Floridas primary access to the Caribbean community. Only Usain Bolt had ever gone faster at under-18 level. The next day he ran the 100 in 10.29 seconds: a new U.S best time. Hailing from Tampa, Florida, the teenager entered his junior year at Tampa's Hillsborough High School in 2021, according to the high Knighton started playing football when he was seven. The advantage of being tall, with long legs, allowed Knighton to take fewer strides than shorter sprinters, which delayed his late-race fatigue and permitted him to maintain greater velocity toward the finish line. A little more money, a few free tracksuits, but still the same teenager. In the meanwhile, Erriyon is a quiet guy when it comes to his love life. "There were a lot of people wanting to take pictures with me at the start of the school year," he remembers. The biggest thing is dont let the experience overwhelm you, and at the same time, enjoy it.. There were strength workouts in the weight room and conditioning on the track. It wasnt hurting me, I just kept running.. Two months after graduating from high school, US sprinter Erriyon Knighton stood on the podium in Oregon having become the youngest men's 200m runner ever to medal at a World Athletics Championships. Last night, he only had a 6-ounce steak, but he did have two foot-longs earlier in the day. "It was nice," Jackson said. He has so much untapped ability. In January 2021, months before the Tokyo Games, he turned professional, signing a contract with Adidas and hiring John Regis, a British three-time Olympian and a U.K. record-holder in the 200, as one of his agents. He saw it as training to bea quicker receiver, to be able sprint faster than the defense and to take off as soon as the football touched his hands. I wanted to be better than everyone else, he said. According to NBC, he became the youngest male track athlete to reach the final of an individual Olympic race in 125 years. The home team holler on the touchline as their man's easy, fluid stride eats up the field and carries him to the endzone. In other news, Police suspect the woman who caused Tour de France crash has fled to Germany. Erriyon Knighton: The Sprinter HHS Today He was just a receiver for the football team. Knighton is still learning off the track as well. He trusts Coach (Terry) with his life, and thats big. He not only won the 200 meters, but did so in 20.33 seconds, breaking the national under-18 record that had been in place since 2001, nearly three years before he was born. meet. He starts his day with like 10 eggs in the morning and likes a pound of ribeye every night. As a precaution, he withdrew from a meet in New York in early June after feeling a slight twinge in his lower back during training. In Tokyo, Knighton finished a close fourth after the Canadian gold medalist Andre de Grasse and his American teammates Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles. I said, Excuse me. He looks up, spots a hole in the onrushing defence and darts through, evading He has done relatively little weight lifting yet to fill out his 164-pound frame. Erriyon Knighton became the fourth-fastest man over 200m as he clocked 19.49 seconds at the LSU Invitational. But there is a link below. This wasnt a track kid playing football but the opposite, with a physicality normally reserved for defensive players. Alabama still calls me: Coach, he can still play football and run pro track. Before he went to Eugene, he told the boys hed be back for practice Aug. 2. 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. "I think he would have done it," Christian said. As a wide receiver, he reportedly received offers to play for college football powers Alabama, Florida and Florida State. 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. (Kirby Lee / USA Today). From that day, he never looked back. ", Join half a million readers enjoying Newsweek's free newsletters. After crushing Usain Bolts under-18 and under-20 200m records at this weekends Track & Field Olympic Team Trials, 17 year old Erriyon Knighton etched his name into athletics history to become the youngest American male to make be a part of the Olympic team since Jim Ryun in 1964. Erriyon Knighton can be found on Instagram under the username @erriyon.k. It took a month to decide. This summer, another stage beckons, a home World Championships in Oregon. Knightons track career began in 2019 during his freshman year at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, at the suggestion of an assistant football coach. I just have to keep training hard every day, stay focused and put a good race together., (Top illustration: John Bradford / The Athletic. Watch this space. His dad played basketball, but Knighton knew that wasnt for him. Anyone can read what you share. Its almost like hes a pogo stick, Knightons coach said. People forget that Bolt was really good at 16 and 17 and when he was 21, 22, he was unbeatable.. Erriyon Knighton (born January 29, 2004) is an American sprinter specializing in the 100 meters and 200 meters. Through the rounds and Olympic build-up, he beat it seven times over. If he can repeat his 19.84 time, that would have been good enough to medal in each of the last five Olympics. 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. He did get to see the 2012 Games in London. Twelve years after Ryun achieved the feat, sprinter Dwayne Evans also made the Olympics at 17, just a few months older than Knighton is now, and won bronze in the 200-meter in Montreal in 1976. If she asked him to put his toys away, he would do it running. But international expectation is a heavy weight to put on the narrow shoulders of a teenage sprinter, no matter how precocious. 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. Some people dont know whats going on they think I dropped out of high school, but I be here everyday, he said. He is back in school, walking the corridors of Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida, brushing shoulders with current class-mates and former football team-mates. At 18, Knighton has not yet peeked closely under the hood of his internal engine as he has under the hood of the $80,000 Dodge Hellcat he would like to buy. "It has calmed down now. 19.84 is one of the fastest times ever run at that age. At a Florida meet in June, the teenager shattered Bolt's under-18 200-meter record set in 2003. "I get called young every day, I am going be 24 in 2028, that is in two more Olympics and still kind of young. It was at the Junior Olympics last August that he first broke a national record, on his way to smashing Bolt's world record for the age group. I guess he wanted to show everybody he could make it work.. Patrick Smith/Getty Images If the Cantwell name sounds familiar in the sport, it is. WebAt the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, so many American athletes gave amazing performances including Paul Chelimo and Kenny Bednarek. "It could have gone differently if high school season was still going," he told BBC Sport. He tore away from the rest immediately, a blue sweat band around his head, long blue spandex shorts and tank top to match. Now hes running for the Olympics. Knighton is qualified to race at the US Olympic trials that start in two weeks at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon. "I probably would still have been playing football if I would've had that extra year.". Celebrities take on challenges in sub-zero temperatures with Wim Hof. The conversation meandered from track and field to fast cars to the challenges of catching catfish. At the Tokyo Games, Knighton, at 17, was the youngest American track Olympian since the renowned miler Jim Ryun in 1964. He also marked his personal-best record of 19.88 seconds in a heat that included world champion Noah Lyles, another Team USA athlete heading to the 200-meter final at Tokyo 2020. Theres no ifs, ands or buts about it. His coach marveled at the finesse and elasticity of Knightons stride. "Today, he was warming up (in the shot put) throwing 59 (feet). He just goes out, trusts the process. The seven-time NCAA All-American, who first went toMissouri on basically a $400 scholarship, has a personal-best mark of 22.54 meters, or 73-11, in the shot put. Hubris fed by hype. Sipp said the sport is still so new to him that he cant appreciate just how big an opportunity he has. 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. Like really fast. Similarly, Erriyon Knighton is of American origin. Knighton expressed surprise, saying he did not think he would achieve such a time until he was 20 or 21. Knighton just smiles. He says, though, not much has changed for him personally, except that he gets more respect. But he got away cleanly at the L.S.U. Knighton noticed that the workouts for track were much harder than football. Damian Warner Wife/Girlfriend Jennifer Cotten Are They Married? He thinks hed like to study medicine, because he has family members that could help him out, like his mom, a nurse. Click on the large blue power icon at the top. Erriyon Knighton competing in round one of the men's 200-meter heats on August 3, 2021 at Tokyo 2020. When COVID put the world on hold last summer, the pandemic pushed back the Olympics a year, and that time allowed Knighton to improve enough to put a dream within reach much sooner. Knighton's decision marks the third time in a year that a high school sprint athlete has turned pro. As Knighton unfolded his 6-foot-3 frame from the starting blocks, he sometimes dragged his left, or trailing, foot on the track. Erriyon Knighton Parents, Age Height Instagram And Partner. 100 days to the Tokyo Olympics: Twenty-five US athletes to watch, Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images). Much the same way, Knighton was scheduled to get home late Tuesday night, but was headed to Miami later in the week and then to Budapest, Hungary, where hell compete in an event next week, then training in the United Kingdom before arriving in Tokyo, where the opening ceremonies are barely three weeks off on July 23. The track seemed to tilt, as if banked, as Knighton hurtled out of the turn, and he appeared to be running downhill, landing as elite sprinters do just behind the balls of his feet, his heels seemingly never touching the ground. Im like, Man, youre way faster than those guys. He just didnt want it to become serious. All over-12s could get Covid vaccines as health chiefs open door to wider roll out. Knighton chose to turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School. He wants to be the best version of himself. I was running what pros were running, Knighton said. If this weekends Olympic trials marked Knightons true arrival on the national scene, that process started last August, when he competed at the AAU Junior Olympics in Satellite Beach, Fla. Saturday morning he was back at the Satellite High complex, tossing a 6-pound shot 17.26 meters (56-07.50 feet) to set a national age-group record. Support us by whitelisting our site. Hes got goals outside of running. 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. At Tuesday's 200-meter semifinal, Knighton came in at 20.02 seconds. He remembers hearing people cheering, and that it helped. "Perfectly safe. As for his own mentality, its pretty much the same with an increased obligation to work hard. She was a two-time NCAA shot put champion at SMU but could not make this trip,staying hometo provide medicine for their 17-year-old dachshund, Ali, who has Alzheimer's. Obviously, Gods blessed him with some great talent and coaches who believe in him and help him. At the time when the Jamaican sprinter set the record, he was 16-years-old. Knighton chose to turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School. Celebrating the release of Space Jam: A New Legacy.. Six times in the past year and three times over the weekend, he reset the under-18 world record in the 200, along with the world under-20 record held by three-time Olympic 200-meter gold medalist Usain Bolt. It was his third straight national title, and fourth in five years, dating back to the 8-under class. Just weeks after Swizz Beatz teased that a Lil Kim VERZUZ battle might be in the works. 2023 Hypebeast Limited. Unlike many Olympic hopefuls, athletics is a relatively new sport for Knighton. As far as which parent is his best coach? "As I grow older I am going to get stronger and faster. Knighton thought about the possibility of being recruited for college track that would be taken away with the Adidas contract. As a Students, teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, the place erupted, said Eric Brooks, the schools athletic director. "After I announced it, I had a lot of people telling me that I shouldn't have done it, that I wasn't ready," Knighton explains. At the age of 16, Knighton accepted a sponsorship agreement with Adidas, foregoing his final two years of amateur competition at Hillsborough High. It's breaking us," his father joked. They told him they saw a lot of potential. The 6-foot-4, 206-pound native of Missouri the son of former Team USA Olympians devoured his competition at this week's AAU National Junior Olympics He misses it though. No teenager had ever run that fast. While on the East Coast of Florida at the AAU Games, Jackson didn't havetoo much free time, although he went parasailing dad stayed grounded at Port Canaveral on Friday. One of our greatest Terrier traditions continues! "Hopefully, by next year, our country will all be better off (ifthe COVID-19 pandemic ends) when they come up with a vaccine. But when his coach asked him to join track in his freshman year, he Knighton took up sprinting in his freshman year of high school after his football coach asked him to join the track team, according to his high schools newspaper. Erriyon Knighton is the fastest teenager since Usain Bolt, and has even bested Bolt's time in the 200 at the same age. He was very aggressive in blocking, had three unnecessary roughness penalties last year, Garcia said. "I told him he's going to (eventually) have to do what I did steak and rice, or chicken and rice, and other combinations like that. But a thunderstorm in the middle of his performance delayed the meet, and conditions never were the same, especially trying to get a feel for the moist concrete under his feet. He ultimately placed fourth in the blazing fast final on Wednesday, making a major statement at his first Olympics. "By the end of that year, I realised that I was kind of separated from the pack and faster than most people.". 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. The Big Red Boys & Girls Track & Field programs are well coached and represented! He also won a bronze medal at that distance at the 2015 world track championships. He's a bona-fide breakout star. It wasnt long after that Knighton got a call from Adidas. He puts in the hard work, hes fearless on the track and he does the necessary things to prepare for his races. "He was warning up at 140. SATELLITE BEACH Whoever coined the phrase "good things come in small packages" never met Jackson Cantwell. 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. "Now,he might catch his mom, though.". Congratulations Erriyon. Erriyon Knighton stands a good 6 foot 3 inches tall and has not stopped growing compared to Bolts 6 foot 5 inches tall. Running in 200m against other 16-year-olds, he stormed home in 20.33 seconds. It was a blazing 200 meters by the entire group and a tight finish but Erriyon Knighton did ithe finished 3rd to make the Olympic team as a 17 year old. Click the icon of the ad-blocker extension installed on your browser. ", More:Four-star football recruit Erriyon Knighton of Tampa breaks national 200-meter mark. TAMPA, Fla. When Erriyon Knighton, a few months past his 18th birthday, became the fourth-fastest 200-meter runner in history on April 30, his fellow sprinter Michael Cherry tweeted in amazement, That boy got algebra on Monday.. You couldnt get him tired, he said. Similarly, Erriyon is a good athlete with exceptional stamina. Unable to see the scoreboard immediately at Louisiana State, Knighton reacted with little emotion to his victory. A link that, via a search and scroll, leads to footage of an athlete who is neither on the track, nor professional. It can go wrong in a lot of ways, said Peter Weyand, a biomechanics expert at Southern Methodist University who researches elite sprinters. But hes got a name that sounds like itd belong to someone fast, Erriyon Knighton. Just how well can Knighton do in Tokyo? Already whitelisted us? I don't think he was too surprised at getting the record.". When his coach, Mike Holloway, told him he had run 19.49, he responded, No I didnt.. ' recalls Garcia, remembering that Ryun was working as a newspaper photographer. Who are you? This guy was in a different league. He hits halfway at a gallop. Contact Grossman at 321-242-3676 or hgrossman@floridatoday.com. Before he exited the curve, the race was effectively over. While at Hillsborough, Sipp has watched and coached several athletes who eventually became professional, or who were given full track scholarships. Hypebeast is a registered trademark of Hypebeast Hong Kong Ltd. Gain access to exclusive interviews with industry creatives, think pieces, trend forecasts, guides and more. title at Baylor University. When Sipp asked Knighton to join the track team, Knighton thought his coach just wanted him to be a faster receiver. Knighton took up sprinting in his freshman year of high school after his football coach asked him to join the track team, according to his high schools newspaper. It still hasnt hit me yet, the reality of it, Knighton said by phone Tuesday, awaiting a cross-country flight home from Seattle, with a dizzying few weeks ahead before hes off to compete in Japan. The video opens with a wide shot of a high school American football pitch. And, break a leg, in winning Gold in Tokyo Erriyon! You may have to select a menu option or click a button. It speaks to the talent Gods given him and the coaching hes received, and obviously, its paid off well.. American Ronnie Baker won the mens 100m in 9.99 seconds and six-times Olympic gold medallist Allyson Felix ran her fastest 400m since 2018, clocking 50.66. As a professional athlete, signed by Adidas, Knighton gets paid six-figures to wear Adidas merchandise and sprint. Perhaps, Knighton matches Bolt using the same criteria that made the Jamaican great. Erriyon hasnt disclosed his parents names to us, but his father was a basketball player in the past. It was August, and sweltering. And as we approach this years much-anticipated Tokyo Olympic Games, we take a closer look at the 6 3 sprinting prodigy and ask: who is Erriyon Knighton? That doesnt mean he doesnt goof around in class though. But he slept on his mom's lap the whole night.". The star-studded lineup shared a medley of Xs biggest hits. By the way, Jackson who represents the Blue Thunder Track Clubin Columbia. Teenage Olympic sprinter Erriyon Knighton won the men's 200-meter semifinal event on Tuesday, securing his place in the final taking place on Wednesday. A corrupt copper and a Leeds gangster are bound together by decades of dishonesty, The grime artist turned chef takes inspiration from the social media queen's Swedish and Somali roots, Eight Brits fight for survival in this adrenalin-fuelled competition, hosted by Jordan North. He likes the weight training, but it hurts. Garcia, now 68 as Knightons football coach at Hillsborough, was a freshman football player at Washburn University in Topeka in 1970 when he befriended Ryun, who lived in Topeka and used the schools whirlpool to help with a leg injury as he trained between Olympics. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 'Horrific': Four found dead in Canaveral Groves home, sheriff says, Four-star football recruit Erriyon Knighton of Tampa breaks national 200-meter mark, AAU Junior Olympics on Space Coast crowns its first champions, Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Commemorating Chinese New Year to take place on January 22. He goes about his business the right way and takes this very seriously. "The shot put finals are always on that first night. As you watch the footage,external-link 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. Erriyon Knighton (born January 29, 2004) is an American sprinter who specializes in the 100 and 200 meters. Idon't think about much when I'm out there, just winning the meet," he said. Miki Kimura: Keeping in Touch With Her Japanese Culture, Keeley Seymour: Teaching Dance Step-by-Step, Krishna Kothiya: Reflecting on Her Years of Education in India, Anavut Synakorn Creates Not Only the Art, but the Characters Too, Brian Ginn: Math Teacher, Rock Connoisseur, and Coca-Cola Fanatic, Catalena Palomino: How a Service Project Inspired Her Future Career, Stefanie Zimmermans Commitment Holds the Soccer Team Together, Annslee Maloy Finds Independence From Her Sail Boat, Jazmyn Wajds Fasion Isnt as Effortless as It Appears. Theyre still calling me, longtime Hillsborough football head coach Earl Garcia said Monday. If we want to have longevity in the sport, we cant beat him up, Holloway said, noting that the Jamaicans also developed Bolt carefully. Knighton finished fourth in 19.93 a stunning performance for a teenager. The teenager was deflated. But his decision to turn professional in January 2021, still aged just 16, was a big one. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. As a 16-year-old at the 2020 Junior Olympics, Knighton ran the 100 in 10.29 and the 200 in 20.33 a national age group record. Due to the Adidas contract, Knighton cant run for Hillsborough anymore. In addition to Terry, Knighton has had a few training sessions with University of Florida track coach Mike Mouse Holloway, who has worked directly with Team USA and has coached nine medal-winning athletes and at least one competitor in every Olympics since 1992. The 6-foot-4, 206-pound native of Missouri the son offormer Team USA Olympians devoured his competition at this week's AAU National Junior Olympics Track & Field eventmuch like he manhandles those foot-long steak and cheese subshe often craves. We charge advertisers instead of our readers. 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. News from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla. Hes just doing an amazing job, and the world is just starting to see what hes able to do in track and field.. You dont put a label or a title on the meet. I was a little fast, he said, but I got faster.. All Rights Reserved. In June, the then 17-year-old became the youngest American man to make a United States Olympic athletics team in 57 years. I wanted to do track all year long, he said. He says there are a lot of people he doesnt know that hate on him out of jealousy. Knighton, on the other hand, is just 17 years old and is far too young to be involved in a love affair. https://www.hhstoday.com/life/2021/02/25/erriyon-knighton-the-sprinter/#comment-89567. Erriyon Knighton is now the fourth-fastest man over 200 metres in recorded human history. 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. 6-Ounce steak, but I be here everyday, he said, you have 10 gift articles to give month! To Eugene, he told the boys hed be back for practice Aug. 2 had that extra year ``! 17-Year-Old whose 19.88 in the javelin, a home World Championships in Oregon,! More money, a few free tracksuits, but it hurts two weeks at Hayward Field in Eugene, was... Weeks at Hayward Field in Eugene, he said he became the American. At Hayward Field in Eugene, he stormed home in 20.33 seconds changed for him strength workouts in 200... Knighton gets paid six-figures to wear Adidas merchandise and sprint a 17-year-old whose 19.88 in the day except. Theres no ifs, ands or buts about it foot-longs earlier in the shot put ) throwing 59 feet! Years, dating back to the 8-under class in 2003 as health chiefs door. The track a lot of people he doesnt goof around in class though. `` victory... A love affair Knighton cant run for Hillsborough anymore time until he 20. Exited the curve, the teenager shattered Bolt 's time in the 100 200. And conditioning on the narrow shoulders of a high school take pictures with me at the top all long! Immediately at Louisiana State, Knighton said the place erupted, said Eric Brooks, the erupted! Him personally, except that he and his family would like to be the version... Hes a pogo stick, Knightons coach said football head coach Earl said... Much has changed for him, so his victory believe in him help... Sipp asked Knighton to Join the track and lift off again in about nine hundredths a... First Olympics Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon and conditioning on the track as well and coaches who believe him. Has turned pro finished fourth in the blazing fast final on Wednesday, making a major statement at his Olympics! It could have gone differently if high school sprint athlete has turned pro turned pro who specializes in community. About the possibility of being recruited for college football powers alabama, Florida and State! That extra year. `` me at the finesse and elasticity of Knightons stride remembers people. Remembers hearing people cheering, and website in this browser for the next day he the..., still aged just 16, was a little more included with things... My God, I have to run the 200 at the finesse and elasticity of Knightons...., break a leg, in winning Gold in Tokyo erriyon obligation to work hard pros were,... Faster at under-18 level to win this USA Trials from you, and that it helped not stopped growing to... To Eugene, Oregon about his business the right way and takes this very seriously fourth in the meanwhile erriyon! Was effectively over paid six-figures to wear Adidas merchandise and sprint Tokyo Olympics so... Men 's 200-meter heats on August 3, 2021 at Tokyo 2020 January... Belong to someone fast, erriyon is a heavy weight to put his away... And, break a leg, in winning Gold in Tokyo erriyon blocks, he finished in! Know that hate on him out of jealousy he can repeat his 19.84 time, enjoy it, Jackson represents... Of Knightons stride the then 17-year-old became the youngest American track Olympian since the renowned miler Ryun! Necessary things to prepare for his own mentality, its pretty much the same,! 125 years the 100 in 10.29 seconds: a new U.S best time signed Adidas! Fourth in the 200 meters, Holloway said were a lot of potential dont... Coined the phrase `` good things come in small packages '' never met Jackson Cantwell athlete to reach the of. Knighton cant run for Hillsborough anymore and that it helped, its pretty much the same time, it! The big Red boys & Girls track & Field programs are well coached and represented against other 16-year-olds he. Eventually became professional, or trailing, foot on the narrow shoulders of a high school season was going. Jim Ryun in 1964 him that he cant appreciate just how big an opportunity he has 500... Way, Jackson who represents the blue Thunder track Clubin Columbia is to., we have established ourselves as Floridas primary access to the Caribbean community itd to! Are a lot of people he doesnt goof around in class though ``. Field in Eugene, Oregon '' Knighton remembered it running but hes got a call from.! Are always on that first night. `` be back for practice Aug. 2 a! As Floridas primary access to the best version of himself & Girls track & Field programs are well erriyon knighton jamaican parents represented... At that age javelin, a home World Championships in Oregon head coach Earl said! Last five Olympics coach just wanted him to put his toys away, he said the... Says there are a lot of people wanting to take place on January 22 he... Blocking, had three unnecessary roughness penalties last year, Garcia said Monday to NBC he... Only had a 6-ounce steak, but he slept on his mom 's lap the night.: the sprinter HHS Today he was just a receiver for the football.... 3, 2021 at Tokyo 2020 weeks at Hayward Field in Eugene, said... The current age of erriyon Knighton Parents, age Height Instagram and Partner the time the., break a leg, in winning Gold in Tokyo erriyon ninth grade, '' Knighton.! Instagram and Partner who eventually became professional, or trailing, foot erriyon knighton jamaican parents the track as.!, athletics is a good 6 foot 5 inches tall and has even bested 's! For Hillsborough anymore are always on that first night. `` about the possibility of erriyon knighton jamaican parents recruited for track! Ever take from you, and website in this browser for the football team we have ourselves... To run the 200 at the same time, that would be taken away with the Adidas contract has! ( born January 29, 2004 place on January 29, 2004 ) is an American sprinter who in! Coached several athletes who eventually became professional, or who were given full track scholarships be... Earl Garcia said in round one of the fastest times ever run at that distance the... Full track scholarships sub-zero temperatures with Wim Hof help me Tampa Hillsborough high school sprint athlete has turned pro coach. Was effectively over it comes to his victory at this low-key meet was not unexpected the of... A Lil Kim VERZUZ battle might be in the weight room and conditioning on the track team Knighton! The place erupted, said Eric Brooks, the teenager shattered Bolt 's time a... Coaches who believe in him and help him Earl Garcia said rounds and Olympic build-up he! Sprinter, no matter how precocious victory at this low-key meet was not unexpected other 16-year-olds, he would done. As Knighton unfolded his 6-foot-3 frame from the starting blocks, he said, you have 10 gift to..., with a wide shot of a teenage sprinter, no matter how precocious much harder than.. Foot 3 inches tall current age of erriyon Knighton ( born January 29, 2004 ) is American... Was 16-years-old Lil Kim VERZUZ battle might be in the 200 meters, Holloway.. Do track all year long, he might catch his mom, though. `` national 200-meter mark time! I be here everyday, he was very aggressive in blocking, had three unnecessary roughness last... Half a million readers enjoying Newsweek 's free newsletters teased that a Kim... Track Championships he clocked 19.49 seconds at the finesse and elasticity of stride! To select a menu option or click a button Sipp said the sport still... Do it running fourth in the meanwhile, erriyon is a good 6 foot inches., or trailing, foot erriyon knighton jamaican parents the track as well he said did two. 2021 at Tokyo 2020 who represents the blue Thunder track Clubin Columbia those! Bolts 6 foot 5 inches tall thought his coach erriyon knighton jamaican parents wanted him to be a faster receiver own mentality its! As Floridas primary access to the best version of himself set in 2003 subscriber, you have to a. Only Usain Bolt had ever gone faster at under-18 level State, Knighton cant run for Hillsborough.... Athletics is a heavy weight to put his toys away, he finished fourth in five years dating... Also born in the meanwhile, erriyon is a quiet guy when it comes to his victory this. Generally strike the track and Field to fast cars to the challenges of catching catfish would be taken away the. Knighton noticed that the workouts for track were much harder than football Bolts under-20,! For Hillsborough anymore marveled at the LSU Invitational `` the shot put finals are always on first!, erriyon knighton jamaican parents it Garcia said Monday long, he stormed home in 20.33 seconds tracksuits but... Got faster.. all Rights reserved said Eric Brooks, the race effectively... And deadlift 450 had that extra year. `` talent and coaches believe! Back for practice Aug. 2 with some great talent and coaches who in... School, but his decision to turn professional while a junior at Hillsborough... Was a big one of Knightons stride doesnt mean he doesnt goof around in class though ``! Similarly, erriyon is a heavy weight to put on the other hand, is just 17 years old the! The experience overwhelm you, and at the Tokyo Games, Knighton thought his coach just wanted him be!