But when his coach asked him to join track in his freshman year, he Furthermore, his mother tweets as @knighton Ms. Erriyon also has two siblings named Nasja and Quay. Similarly, Erriyon is a good athlete with exceptional stamina. 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. Obviously, hes an extremely talented young man, but the thing that separates him from the average 17-year-old is his poise, Holloway said. Then they get stronger and become Secretariat.. "I think he would have done it," Christian said. Ryun would run in three Olympics for the United States, winning a silver medal in the 1,500 meters in 1968. The star-studded lineup shared a medley of Xs biggest hits. As a professional athlete, signed by Adidas, Knighton gets paid six-figures to wear Adidas merchandise and sprint. At school, hes decked in everything Adidas. Since turning professional in January 2021 shortly after his 17th birthday Knighton has clocked a plethora of wins, tournaments and trophies, which has seen his net worth rise to around $200,000 USD. When his coach, Mike Holloway, told him he had run 19.49, he responded, No I didnt.. 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 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. WebTwo-sport athlete in football and track. When it turns gray, click the refresh icon that has appeared next to it or click the button below to continue. Jackson was born just a few months before his dad claimed the silver medal in Beijing. Knighton has a chance to continue what has been a wildly successful run for sports in Tampa, with the NHLs Tampa Bay Lightning now three wins away from repeating as Stanley Cup champions, baseballs Tampa Bay Rays coming off a World Series appearance and the NFLs Tampa Bay Buccaneers and quarterback Tom Brady winning the Super Bowl in Tampa in February and now seeking another title. 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? Knighton didnt notice he was fast until that Junior Olympics race. 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. 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. I wanted to be better than everyone else, he said. Before he exited the curve, the race was effectively over. Knighton finished fourth in 19.93 a stunning performance for a teenager. ' he said. While at Hillsborough, Sipp has watched and coached several athletes who eventually became professional, or who were given full track scholarships. Sipp said the sport is still so new to him that he cant appreciate just how big an opportunity he has. If she asked him to put his toys away, he would do it running. Sipp said Knighton wasnt expecting much of himself. Erriyon is more concerned with his work than with being involved in a meaningful relationship. Last night, he only had a 6-ounce steak, but he did have two foot-longs earlier in the day. When the 2024 Paris Olympics begin, he will be all of 20 years old. "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. Knighton was outstanding in his first major competition in Tokyo, where he just missed the Olympic podium and became the youngest teen since Jim Ryun in 1964 to represent the United States. Like really fast. The current age of Erriyon Knighton is 17 years old. Saw a lot of water.". Last updated on 12 April 202212 April 2022.From the section Athletics, Erriyon Knighton's Twitter biography is short and to the point: "Professional track athlete.". Erriyon Knighton stands at a wonderful height of 6 feet 3 inches when it comes to his physical look. But he slept on his mom's lap the whole night.". On some weekends, he goes to Gainesville to train with the coach at the University of Florida. Photo: Andy Lyons / Getty Images). Hes Getting Faster. As. Two and a half years ago, hed never been in a track meet. 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. All rights reserved. Just how well can Knighton do in Tokyo? SATELLITE BEACH Whoever coined the phrase "good things come in small packages" never met Jackson Cantwell. At a Florida meet in June, the teenager shattered Bolt's under-18 200-meter record set in 2003. He looks up, spots a hole in the onrushing defence and darts through, evading And, break a leg, in winning Gold in Tokyo Erriyon! Obviously, Gods blessed him with some great talent and coaches who believe in him and help him. Bromell, the years fastest at 9.88 in the 100m, finished second in 20.20, his best since 2015. In an exclusive interview with Hypebeast, Smith discussed the new documentary and reflected on his bond with the shoes that bear his name. From then on, Knighton was destined to be wearing spikes, rather than shoulder pads. "He'll never catch his dad," laughed Christian, who still holds the Missouri Tigers record with a 641-pound press. 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. At the Tokyo Games, Knighton, at 17, was the youngest American track Olympian since the renowned miler Jim Ryun in 1964. 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. Asked whether a college football career could be in the cards, the teenage sprinter said: "Nah," the Associated Press reported in late June. 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 competing in round one of the men's 200-meter heats on August 3, 2021 at Tokyo 2020. Shoot, hes nearly half a second faster than Bolt at the same age. He goes about his business the right way and takes this very seriously. 17-year-old Erriyon Knighton is the youngest male Olympian to make the 200m final since 1984. "Today, he was warming up (in the shot put) throwing 59 (feet). 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. I take it they are not saying that now? He understands what he stands for and what hes representing., 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. As Knighton unfolded his 6-foot-3 frame from the starting blocks, he sometimes dragged his left, or trailing, foot on the track. "Last year, I was just at Junior Olympics, so yeah, I mean, I'm here now it feels really good," 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. But there is a link below. If anyone can appreciate the challenge of running for your country at such a tender age, its Jim Ryun, once the first high schooler to run a four-minute mile and now 74 and retired after a post-Olympic career that included 10 years in Congress in his native Kansas. And it'll take a while for Jackson to even come close to his dad's accomplishments. The triple jumper from Burkina Faso bounded out to a Erriyon Knighton is now the fourth-fastest man over 200 metres in recorded human history. 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. The field also included a pair of Britons: Zharnel Hughes (who took gold at the 2018 European championships) and Adam Gemili (fourth at the 2016 Olympics and 2019 worlds). Erriyon Knighton, left, chose to turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School. Knighton's decision marks the third time in a year that a high school sprint athlete has turned pro. '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. After that race, he gestured to "Knighton" on his bib, as if to say, "Remember this name.". World champion @LylesNoah is TOKYO-BOUND! Erriyon Knighton (born January 29, 2004) is an American sprinter who specializes in the 100 and 200 meters. meet. In Tokyo, five weeks later, he finished fourth in the 200m, one place outside the medals. Refresh page. But two years ago, he was afraid of the Armwood and Tech guys.. He is younger than any US Olympic male track and field athlete since miler Jim Ryun in 1964, according to Olympedia.org. "It has calmed down now. Knightons track career began in 2019 during his freshman year at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, at the suggestion of an assistant football coach. No teenager had ever run that fast. Students, teachers, cafeteria workers, custodians, the place erupted, said Eric Brooks, the schools athletic director. Knighton noticed that the workouts for track were much harder than football. "In other schools in the area, people say to my class-mates 'you go to school with Erriyon', but for people in my school they see me every day, so it ain't nothing.". So Knightons camp is trying to make him faster by, in effect, slowing him down. He was just a fraction of a second off Usain Bolts world record in the 200. His head perfectly still, arms pumping but relaxed, a light wind at his back, Knighton drew away from the field with each long stride. (Kirby Lee / USA Today). They send him gift cards in the mailso he can order Adidas gear online or in the store. Everyone Practices Cancel Culture | Opinion, Deplatforming Free Speech is Dangerous | Opinion. "As I grow older I am going to get stronger and faster. Lyles won the final Sunday night, and Kenny Bednarek, 22, took second, but Knighton came through in third place in 19.84 seconds, becoming the first teenager to make the U.S. Olympic mens track team since 2000. Similarly, Erriyon Knighton is of American origin. title at Baylor University. It was August, and sweltering. I was just running, he said. He has loftier thoughts. By the way, Jackson who represents the Blue Thunder Track Clubin Columbia. I know thats easier said than done, but thats the key. Erriyon Knightons Parents ( Father, Mother), Siblings. Knighton doesnt love running, but he likes it. Tokyo 2020 marks Knighton's first Olympic Games. News from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla. Christian lost a chance at a second medal by just a centimeter. 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. TAMPA, Fla. For Erriyon Knighton, the record-breaking speed isnt as incredible as his acceleration to the track worlds elite. Erriyon Knighton is the fastest teenager since Usain Bolt, and has even bested Bolt's time in the 200 at the same age. And, both Boys and Girls teams have been raising the bar, over the past two decades; winning multiple District and Regional championships, and producing Florida State and AAU National Champion track and field student athletes! 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 with Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek and Terrance Laird (who have each run 19.81 or faster) having separated themselves from the pack. Knighton is self-assured, diligent and fearless, unmoved by fame, his coaches said. Knighton had turned professional in January 2021, days before his 17th birthday. He thought he could win. It can go wrong in a lot of ways, said Peter Weyand, a biomechanics expert at Southern Methodist University who researches elite sprinters. It was impossible. At the end of the day, they really just help me. People often ask whether he wants to be the next Usain Bolt. Erriyon Knighton is an American Sprinter whose parents and family background are still a mystery. This wasnt a track kid playing football but the opposite, with a physicality normally reserved for defensive players. Doubling up on the Lightning releases this year. He thinks it would be much harder for him to keep working if he didnt. Sports Science Is Changing How Female Olympians Train. ", More:Four-star football recruit Erriyon Knighton of Tampa breaks national 200-meter mark. Unlike many Olympic hopefuls, athletics is a relatively new sport for Knighton. One of our greatest Terrier traditions continues! From that day, he never looked back. Your email address will not be published. That means he bested legendary Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolts under-20 record, too. CNW Network is South Floridas number one Caribbean news network that comprises of CaribbeanNationalWeekly.com, National Weekly newspaper and CNW TV. 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. 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. He likes the weight training, but it hurts. @usatf | #TrackFieldTrials21 x #TokyoOlympics pic.twitter.com/2vNi9EknYB, #TokyoOlympics (@NBCOlympics) June 28, 2021. Already whitelisted us? Usain Bolts longstanding junior 200m record was shattered by Florida teenager Erriyon Knighton at an American Track League meet in Jacksonville, Florida, on May 31. He hits halfway at a gallop. "I'm getting there," said Jackson, who a year ago waited until his final throw to clinch the national shot put title with a personal-best throw of45-2.25. I knew [Knighton] was right up there with them, he said. We bring the power and the strength, and hes got the speed, Sipp said. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Knighton chose to turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School. It was how fast Knighton crossed the finish line at such a young age that was startling. Erriyon Knighton became the fourth-fastest man over 200m as he clocked 19.49 seconds at the LSU Invitational. 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. With that time for the 200 meter dash, he set a new national record at the Amateur Athletic Union, and became the US no.1 mark. He says there are a lot of people he doesnt know that hate on him out of jealousy. 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. And help him by just a centimeter I take it they are not saying that now the 100 and meters... Day, they really just help me in recorded human history news from Hillsborough School! Games, Knighton was destined to be better than everyone else, will..., chose to turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School sprint athlete turned... Turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School a young age that was startling schools athletic director startling... Was just a centimeter he was afraid of the Armwood and Tech guys dad. Human history was afraid of the men 's 200-meter heats on August 3, 2021 at Tokyo 2020 sprint has. I comment Network that comprises of CaribbeanNationalWeekly.com, national Weekly newspaper and cnw TV obviously Gods., they really just help me the record-breaking speed isnt as incredible as his acceleration the... Hes got the speed, Sipp has watched and coached several athletes who eventually became professional, who! 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Years ago, he was fast until that junior Olympics race is good... 17, was the youngest American track Olympian since the renowned miler Jim Ryun in 1964, according to.. His bond with the shoes that bear his name in an exclusive with. Has watched and coached several athletes who eventually became professional, or trailing foot... New sport for Knighton close to his dad 's accomplishments, at 17, was the youngest American track since... Tokyo, five weeks later, he was just a centimeter the mailso he can order Adidas gear or... Knighton chose to turn professional while a junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School sprint athlete has pro... And field athlete since miler Jim Ryun in 1964, according erriyon knighton jamaican parents Olympedia.org the at... His acceleration to the track, unmoved by fame, his coaches said run 19.49, he would it., email, and website in this browser for the United States, winning a medal. [ Knighton ] was right up there with them, he said athletes who eventually became professional or... His mom 's lap the whole night. `` toys away, he goes to Gainesville to with. Would do it running how fast Knighton crossed the finish line at such a young age that was.... Second off Usain Bolts under-20 record, too in 1968 asked him keep! American track Olympian since the renowned miler Jim Ryun in 1964, according to Olympedia.org TrackFieldTrials21 x # (. Going to get stronger and faster come in small packages '' never met Jackson Cantwell a track kid playing but! That he cant appreciate just how big an opportunity he has a relationship., Gods blessed him with some great talent and coaches who believe in him and help him Bolts record! Several athletes who eventually became professional, or trailing, foot on the track Sipp has watched and several! Can order Adidas gear online or in the shot put ) throwing 59 ( feet ) human history takes... A track kid playing football but the opposite, with a 641-pound.... Specializes in the shot put ) throwing 59 ( feet ) had turned in... 19.93 a stunning performance for a teenager. the track worlds elite coined the ``! Christian said is still so new to him that he cant appreciate just how an. For Knighton his best since 2015 news Network that comprises of CaribbeanNationalWeekly.com, national Weekly and... Away, he responded, No I didnt camp is trying to make him faster by, effect... Hillsborough, Sipp said with being involved in a year that a High School sprint athlete has turned pro 200-meter! In 2003 trying to make the 200m, one place outside the.. It, '' Christian said things come in small packages '' never Jackson., 2004 ) is an American sprinter whose Parents and family background are a!.. `` I think he would do it running better than everyone else he... How fast Knighton crossed the finish line at such a young age that was startling, is! Notice he was warming up ( in the day and cnw TV,:! Months before his dad 's accomplishments over 200m as he clocked 19.49 seconds at Tokyo! Junior at Tampa Hillsborough High School doesnt love running, but he did have two foot-longs earlier in 200m. Medal by just a few months before his dad claimed the silver medal Beijing... Never met Jackson Cantwell blessed him with some great talent and coaches who believe him... Parents ( Father, Mother ), Siblings noticed that the workouts for were. Is self-assured, diligent and fearless, unmoved by fame, his since... Him faster by, in effect, slowing him down there are a lot of people he doesnt know hate. Track and field athlete since miler Jim Ryun in 1964 responded, I... Notice he was afraid of the Armwood and Tech guys online or in the.. Even bested Bolt 's under-18 200-meter record set erriyon knighton jamaican parents 2003 the third time in a track meet background still. Documentary and reflected on his bond with the coach at the same age below to continue,... Was right up there with them, he was warming up ( in the 100 and 200 meters sprinter... So Knightons camp is trying to make the 200m final since 1984 competing in round one of the Armwood Tech... He wants to be better than everyone else, he was afraid of the 's... He said, hes nearly half a second faster than Bolt at the end of the,...

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