Erriyon Knighton facts for kids
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Knighton at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene
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| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||
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| Born | January 29, 2004 Jesup, Georgia, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 3 in | ||||||||||||||||
| Weight | 170 lb | ||||||||||||||||
| Sport | |||||||||||||||||
| Country |  United States |
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| Sport | Track and field | ||||||||||||||||
| Event(s) | 100 meters, 200 meters | ||||||||||||||||
| Club | My Brother's Keeper Track Club | ||||||||||||||||
| Coached by | Jonathan Terry and Mike Holloway | ||||||||||||||||
| Achievements and titles | |||||||||||||||||
| Personal best(s) |
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Medal record
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Erriyon Knighton (born January 29, 2004) is an American sprinter. He is known for running very fast in the 100-meter and 200-meter races. When he was just 18 years old, he won a bronze medal in the 200-meter race at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. This made him the youngest person ever to win a medal in a sprint event at these championships. He also won a silver medal in the 200-meter final at the 2023 World Championships.
Erriyon Knighton holds the world record for under-18 athletes in the 200-meter race. He ran it in 19.84 seconds in 2021. He also holds the world record for under-20 athletes with a time of 19.69 seconds, set in 2022. His fastest time ever in the 200-meter race is 19.49 seconds. This makes him one of the fastest athletes in history over that distance. Only a few famous sprinters like Usain Bolt have run faster. In 2022, Erriyon became the first athlete to win the World Athletics Male Rising Star of the Year award twice.
Contents
Erriyon's Amazing Career
Starting Out in Track and Field
Erriyon Knighton began his journey in track and field in 2019. He was a freshman at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida. During his time there, he showed incredible speed. He ran the 200 meters in 20.33 seconds. This was the second-fastest time ever for an under-18 athlete. He achieved this at the 2020 USA Track & Field Junior Olympics.
Besides running, Erriyon also played football for his high school team. He was a wide receiver and was considered a top player. He even received scholarship offers from big universities.
Becoming a Pro in 2021
In January 2021, when he was only 16, Erriyon made a big decision. He signed a sponsorship deal with Adidas. This meant he would become a professional athlete. He decided to skip his last two years of high school sports.
On May 2, he almost broke the 10-second barrier in the 100-meter race. He ran it in 9.99 seconds. However, the wind was too strong for it to count as an official record.
Later that month, on May 31, Erriyon, then 17, set a new world record. He ran the 200 meters in 20.11 seconds. This broke Usain Bolt's previous record for under-18 boys. At the US Olympic Trials, he kept getting faster. He ran 20.04 seconds, then 19.88 seconds. This new time broke Bolt's world record for under-20 athletes. In the final race, he ran an even faster 19.84 seconds. This amazing performance helped him qualify for the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics.
At the Tokyo Olympics, Erriyon was the youngest male to represent the United States in track and field. He was the youngest since 1964! He made it to the 200-meter final. He finished in fourth place with a time of 19.93 seconds.
Big Wins in 2022
On April 30, 2022, Erriyon set an unofficial world junior record. He ran the 200 meters in an incredible 19.49 seconds. This happened at a competition in Baton Rouge. He later ran 19.69 seconds at the USA Outdoor T&F Championships in June.
Erriyon then won a bronze medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships. This made him the youngest individual sprint medalist in the history of the championships. He also became the youngest winner of a Diamond League race. He won the 200-meter race in Brussels on September 2.
More Medals in 2023
On July 9, 2023, Erriyon won his first major national title. He triumphed in the 200 meters at the USA Outdoor T&F Championships. His winning time was 19.72 seconds.
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Erriyon won another world medal. He finished second in the 200-meter final with a time of 19.75 seconds. He was beaten by fellow American sprinter Noah Lyles.
At the end of the 2023 season, he finished third in the 200-meter final of the Diamond League. He ran 19.97 seconds in Eugene. Erriyon finished his junior career with 18 times under 20 seconds in the 200 meters. His top 10 times are the best ever for under-20 athletes in the 200 meters.
2024 Season and Olympic Journey
Erriyon started his 2024 season with an indoor 200-meter race in France. He won with a time of 20.21 seconds.
In March 2024, there was a temporary suspension for Erriyon. This was due to a test result. However, the US Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) later found that he was not at fault. They determined the issue came from something he ate, like contaminated meat. Because it was an accident, he did not receive any punishment.
At the US Olympic Trials, he placed third in the 200 meters. His time was 19.77 seconds. This qualified him for the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. At the Olympics, Erriyon ran 19.99 seconds in the heats and 20.09 in the semi-final. In the final race, he finished in fourth place with a time of 19.99 seconds.
Erriyon's Best Times
Here are some of Erriyon Knighton's fastest times in different races:
| Distance | Time (s) | Location | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 60 meters (indoor) | 6.61 | Gainesville, FL, U.S. | February 1, 2025 | |
| 100 meters | 10.04 | Gainesville, FL, U.S. | April 16, 2022 | |
| 150 meters | 14.85 | Atlanta, GA, U.S. | May 6, 2023 | |
| 200 meters | 19.49 | Baton Rouge, LA, U.S. | April 30, 2022 | North, Central American and Caribbean Under-20 Record |
| 200 meters (indoor) | 20.21 | Liévin, France | February 10, 2024 | |
| 400 meters | 45.37 | Gainesville, FL, U.S. | April 5, 2025 | |
| Youth and Junior Records | ||||
| 200 meters | 19.84 | Eugene, OR, U.S. | June 27, 2021 | World under-18 best |
| 200 meters | 19.69 | Eugene, OR, U.S. | June 26, 2022 | World under-20 record |
International Competitions and Medals
Erriyon has competed in many big international events:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Olympic Games | Tokyo, Japan | 4th | 200 m | 19.93 | |
| 2022 | World Championships | Eugene, OR, United States | 3rd | 200 m | 19.80 | |
| 2023 | World Championships | Budapest, Hungary | 2nd | 200 m | 19.75 | |
| 2024 | Olympic Games | Paris, France | 4th | 200 m | 19.99 |
Major Race Wins
Erriyon has won several important races in the Diamond League and World Athletics Continental Tour:
- Diamond League
- 2022 (200 m): Brussels Memorial Van Damme
- 2023 (200 m): Golden Gala (Florence), Bislett Games
- World Athletics Continental Tour
- 2022 (200 m): Gyulai István Memorial
- 2023 (200 m): Irena Szewinska Memorial
- 2024 (200 m): Zagreb Hanžeković Memorial
National Championships
He has also done very well in national competitions in the United States:
| Year | Competition | Venue | Position | Event | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | U.S. Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 3rd | 200 m | 19.84 |
| 2022 | USATF Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 2nd | 200 m | 19.69 |
| 2023 | USATF Championships | Eugene, Oregon | 1st | 200 m | 19.72 |
| 2024 | U.S. Olympic Trials | Eugene, Oregon | 3rd | 200 m | 19.77 |
Awards and Recognition
Erriyon Knighton has received special awards for his talent:
- World Athletics Awards
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- Rising Star (Men)：2021, 2022
See also
In Spanish: Erriyon Knighton para niños
