(Sports news) Erriyon Knighton has been on a fast track since the start of the 2021 season. He has broken Usain Bolt’s under 18 and 20 record on the 200m event and is slowly catching up on the 100m event too. Knighton has been one of the top athletes in the men’s 200m this year and came really close to Olympic glory at Tokyo.
The 17 year old became the second teenager after Bolt to run the 200m under 20 seconds. Bolt held the under 18 world record of 20.13 secs in the 200m which he ran in 2003, it was broken this year in May by Knighton when he ran it in 20.11 secs. In the next three months, Knighton went on to improve his timings by a huge margin as in June he broke Bolt’s under 20 record of 19.93 in 200m by lowering to 19.88 secs. The very next day he further lowered it to 19.84 secs as he has been constantly running under 20 secs like the senior athletes.
Knighton became the youngest athlete in the 200m final at Tokyo Olympics, there were two teenagers in the track as he was joined by 19 year old Joseph Fahenbulleh. The junior world record holder became the youngest athlete to make it to an 200m final since 1984, in the final he finished fourth behind Noah Lyles with a time of 19.93 secs.
The age gap has been astonishing in the men’s sprinting field right now. Knighton was born in the year Justin Gatlin won his 100 gold and 200m bronze at Athens. Gatlin is 22 years older than the American teen and will be a sight to watch two generations compete side by side at the track. Knighton has been the 6th fastest this year and the athletes above are at least 6 years older to him. The fastest man this year has been another American Noah Lyles with a timing of 19.52 secs.
The Olympic finalist will be on top with his performances in the last few months especially in the second half. The season 2022 will be eagerly waiting for Knighton to make a mark at the World Championships in the 200m, Bolt’s records have been standing strong since 2009 and next year there might be chances of athletes coming really close. Knighton is halfway there as he has already shaken off junior world records now he has to carry forward that momentum into his senior years.
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