Tampa native Erriyon Knighton continued his preparations for the Olympics by securing a commanding victory in the men’s 200m at the PUMA American Track League’s Holloway Pro Classic in Gainesville, Florida, on Friday night.
The 20-year-old sprinter clocked an impressive 19.92 seconds (+0.3m/s) on the wet track at the University of Florida, further solidifying his rank as a top medal contender for the upcoming Paris Olympics 2024.
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The Hillsborough High School graduate, who secured his Olympic berth with a third-place finish at the U.S. Olympic Trials last month, outpaced Jamaican Jevaughn Powell (20.21 seconds) and fellow American Robert Gregory (20.33 seconds).
“It was a good tune-up race heading to the Olympics,” Knighton remarked in his post-race interview. “I feel like I did good, so I am ready.”
His confidence is well-founded, given his impressive track record and consistent performances.
Knighton’s personal best of 19.49 seconds, though not ratified as the world U20 record, underpins his phenomenal talent, which was demonstrated at a young age at Hillsborough High School.
His official world junior all-time best stands at 19.69 seconds, surpassing the previous mark of 19.93 seconds set by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt.
Knighton has established himself as a formidable force in sprint competitions with eight career performances at 19.80 seconds or faster in the 200m. Only world record holder Bolt, his countryman Yohan Blake, and Americans Noah Lyles and Michael Johnson have run faster than him.
Knighton, who finished fourth at the delayed Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021.
