The 17-year-old Florida native announced himself as one of the rising stars in U.S. track and field Sunday, finishing third in the men’s 200-meter final at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
A would-be rising senior in high school, Knighton figures to be one of the youngest athletes on Team USA this summer, where he will not only compete but also have a legitimate shot at winning a medal.
He is believed to be the youngest American man to make the Olympic track and field team since Jim Ryun in 1964.
The 17-year-old Florida native announced himself as one of the rising stars in U.S. track and field Sunday, finishing third in the men’s 200-meter final at the Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics.
A would-be rising senior in high school, Knighton figures to be one of the youngest athletes on Team USA this summer, where he will not only compete but also have a legitimate shot at winning a medal.
He is believed to be the youngest American man to make the Olympic track and field team since Jim Ryun in 1964.
Erriyon Knighton announced himself as one of the rising stars in U.S. track and field Sunday.
Knighton didn’t participate in track and field until his freshman year at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida. His first major competition was the 2019 Florida state high school, where he placed fifth in the 200-metres.
Knighton said Sunday that he only started running track at the suggestion of his high-school football coaches. Additional training and a growth spurt helped lower his times on the track.
After parts of his sophomore and junior seasons were disrupted by the pandemic, Knighton decided at the beginning of this year that he was ready to turn pro. He signed a contract with adidas and hired well-regarded agents Ramon Clay and John Regis as his representatives. He was just shy of his 17th birthday at the time.
While some youngsters might seek out the spotlight, Knighton has largely avoided it so far in his professional career. His team has politely declined requests to interview Knighton before the Olympic trials, and the 17-year-old was all business while in Eugene.
After winning both his preliminary and semifinal heats – and beating reigning world champion Noah Lyles on both occasions – Knighton left the track without being interviewed by NBC, as is custom for the winner of a race. The move prompted some teasing from Lyles, who also competed at the Olympic trials as a teenager in 2016.
KIPRICHBLOG 