Tokyo Olympics: Tampa teen Erriyon Knighton wins semi-final heat, moves onto 200-meter finals
TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 03: Erriyon Knighton of of The USA competes in round one of the Men's 200m heats during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Olympic Stadium in Tokyo, Japan on August 03, 2021. (Photo by Mustafa Yalcin/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
TOKYO - The youngest track-and-field athlete to join Team USA in decades sped past his competitors in the men’s 200-meter run Tuesday and finished first.
As Erriyon Knighton cruised the finish line, he looked over his shoulder, observing where the other racers were located. He finished with a time of 20.02 seconds and will advance to the final.
The top two runners from each semi-final heat move onto the finals.
Wednesday, Knighton will run for gold.
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At 17 years old, he is the youngest male track Olympian for the U.S. since Jim Ryun in 1964.
In June, Knighton broke Usain Bolt’s 200-meter record for athletes under 18 just weeks before he landed a spot on Team USA.
Hillsborough sprinter breaks Bolt record
With a time of 20.11 seconds in the 200-meter race, Hillsborough High sprinter Erriyon Knighton bested a U18 record previously set by Olympic gold medalist, Usain Bolt. Knighting didn't set out to break a record set by arguably the greatest sprinter of all time, but he knew he would do something special that day.
MORE: Bay Area sprinter breaks record set by Usain Bolt
At Hillsborough High School, this is just Knighton's third year in track. He initially got into the sport to help with his speed in football. However, along the way, it became more clear: Knighton was a track star in the making.
"During my sophomore year of high school, I was running times that college people are running in their senior year," Knighton recalled. "I was like 'I can do something bigger than just football.'