Erriyon Knighton’s road to breaking records

Erriyon Knighton, a phenom sprinter from our personal Hillsborough Excessive Faculty, virtually secured a nationwide title with a 19.69-second 200 on the U.S. track and field championship finals in Oregon on Sunday.

• “Job’s not completed. It is by no means completed,” Knighton stated after the race.

State of play: Knighton has the potential to be a global observe famous person, and even the fastest man in the world, if his coaches can preserve him wholesome and grounded.

• That is the takeaway from a latest New York Times profile of the 18-year-old, who completed fourth within the 200 on the Tokyo Olympics final summer time and has crushed information set by a younger Usain Bolt.

The intrigue: Knighton’s coaches try to assist the teenager set file speeds, partly, by letting him catch his breath, the Instances stories. They have been selective concerning the variety of races Knighton participates on this season.

• “If we need to have longevity within the sport, we won’t beat him up,” coach Mike Holloway advised the Instances. “Folks neglect that Bolt was actually good at 16 and 17 and when he was 21, 22, he was unbeatable.”

What to observe: Knighton will compete on the earth championships in Oregon subsequent month.