17yo Erriyon Knighton Makes 200m Olympic Team
Source: Meet Erriyon Knighton, the 17-year-old who broke Usain Bolt's record and is now an Olympian (link)
Erriyon Knighton, 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.
Not only that, but in the process, he ran a 19.84 in the finals, setting the U20 world record which was previously held by none other than Usain Bolt (he also ran a 19.88 in the semi-finals, which was also a record). That time also beat Knighton's own U18 record as well.
It's safe to say that right now, Erriyon Knighton definitely has the makings of the next track star, and will certainly run even better times. And who knows -- he's still a teenager, but he may even have a legitimate shot at some of Bolt's records. Did I mention it's only his third season running track?
