Erriyon Knighton, a sprinter who is 19 years old, enjoys anything fast, from vehicles to racing timings.
He is fusing his two interests to add more fuel: Knighton plans to reward himself with a black McLaren supercar if he wins Olympic gold. As he prepares for the global championships, Knighton is only happy to accept the inevitable comparisons to retired Jamaican phenom Usain Bolt.
Actually, Knighton’s speed in his development as a sprinter is more modest and steady. As he pursues American colleague Noah Lyles, the two-time defending world 200-meter champion and most recently crowned 100-meter champion, he believes perseverance will get him to the top.
Prior to the opening round of the 200 on Wednesday, Knighton told The Associated Press, “We’re not in a rush to be great. “After all, greatness doesn’t appear suddenly. Knowing this, we’re merely proceeding cautiously.
By following his detailed instructions, athletes have ran the 200 meters in less time than even Usain Bolt did at this age. Knighton, a Florida native who used to play football but is now a full-time sprinter, holds the top 11 fastest 200-meter times ever by a sprinter under 20 years old, including 19.49 seconds in April 2022. Bolt’s best time at a comparable age was 19.93, for reference. Through the years, Bolt only improved his speed, and at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin, he set the current world record of 19.19.
Knighton, Lyles, and everyone else have their sights on this moment.
The record will eventually collapse, according to Knighton, who has never seen Bolt. “And someone else will do it if I don’t do it.”
especially considering Lyles’s prodding. They have a growing rivalry in a track that shows a difference in aesthetics. While Knighton is more reserved, Lyles is showy.
Knighton added, “I like (the rivalry) because I know we’re going to draw the most out of each other every time we step on the track.
At the men’s 200 last year in Oregon, Kenny Bednarek won silver and Knighton took home bronze as Lyles led an American podium sweep. With a time of 19.31 seconds, Lyles shattered Michael Johnson’s long-standing American record in a race that was so blazingly quick.
Let this be recorded: Knighton is respected by Lyles. However, he has no anxiety for the adolescent who will turn 20 in January.
“I see a child in him. But he’s still a competitor,” the 26-year-old Lyles, who has outperformed Knighton in seven of their nine 200-meter races, added. “You become a professional as soon as you declare your desire to be one and enter the world of track. I’ll treat you like a professional.
This summer, Knighton put himself in the best racing shape of his brief sprinting career, according to him. Under the guidance of Mike Holloway, a renowned coach at the University of Florida whose son, Grant Holloway, won his third consecutive world gold in the 110-meter hurdles on Monday, he is honing his abilities.
Don’t look left or right when racing is the most important lesson Knighton has learned. Just pay attention to his own path.
Knighton, who in December took home a second “Rising Star” title from World Athletics, said he was “learning more (about executing) my best race plan, rather than trying to do something that I’m not used to.” Just determine what is best for you.
There was a moment when he might have chosen to play collegiate football. According to 247Sports, he was a great receiver who attracted interest from universities like Florida and Florida State. But he made the decision to focus on track, became pro at age 16, and signed a contract with Adidas (the same company as Lyles).
Knighton stated that although football is more of a team sport, he likes where he is at in track. I enjoy being in the locker room with my brothers before a football game while yet being aware that we must leave for work.
His departure from the racetrack is focused on vehicles. One of his prized things is a Grand Cherokee. If he wins not one, but two Olympic gold medals, he has promised himself, he will one day buy a McLaren or a Lamborghini.
As he prepares for the Paris Games the following year, it serves as a potent motivator.
Likewise, acquiring a ranch to breed horses and goats in the future. However, no fruits or vegetables are grown.
Instead, he will put forth the effort to outrun the shadow of Bolt, which constantly draws comparisons to him.
It puts more pressure on me than great praise, according to Knighton. “I’m always appreciative to be mentioned with him in a phrase.
He did what he did in the end, I suppose. I’ll carry out my usual actions.