Teenager Erriyon Knighton was milliseconds away from beating Bolts Junior 200m record on Friday and has now smashed it twice
The USA has been holding their Athletics Team Trials to decide their Olympic team over the last week. On Sunday, Knighton broke Bolt’s record with a time of 19.88 and has now gone one step further.
At the race in Eugene Oregon, the young man finished in 19.84 seconds destroying the Jamaican’s 19.93 seconds. The amazing thing is the Knighton still has two more full years to break his own record again.
The American sprinter finished third in men’s finals making him the first high schooler to make the USA team for the event since 1972.
World Champion Noah Lyles won the race in 19.74. Kenney Bednarek also made the Olympic team, finishing second in 19.78.
America has always been a powerhouse at the Olympic Games but is this their chance to finally get their hands back on men’s sprinting gold.
It was a blazing 200 meters by the entire group and a tight finish but Erriyon Knighton did it—he finished 3rd to make the Olympic team as a 17 year old. 19.84 is one of the fastest times ever run at that age. Congratulations Erriyon. Way to represent Tampa!🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/9hvgiiSOHO
— Tony Dungy (@TonyDungy) June 28, 2021
Who will replace Usain Bolt at the top?
Bolt set the Under-20s record back in 2004. He has since dominated the sport winning many gold medals and breaking records at three Olympics from Beijing to Rio de Janeiro.
With Bolt now retired from athletics, there is finally a chance for someone else to win gold at the Olympics.
Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse is now the favorite for the 100m and 200m sprints. The 26-year-old finished third and second in both events five years ago in Rio.
Is there a chance that he could even break Bolt’s record of 19.19 seconds? That record was set at the 2009 World Championships and he has won the 200m for three reigning Olympics.
