Erriyon Knighton: Why the best is yet to come
Sprint sensation Erriyon Knighton does not mince his words.
At just 20 years old, he exudes confidence and belief that he will reach the very top.
But what does that look like to him? It’s simple: winning an Olympic gold.
To top the podium at the most prestigious sporting showpiece in the world would mean ‘everything’ to the American hopeful.
“It would mean everything to me just because of the work I put in,” he told Men’s Health, when asked what bringing home the gold would equate to.
“Everybody puts in the work and everybody wants the same goal.”
After being pipped to a bronze in Tokyo three years ago at the hands of compatriot Noah Lyles, the youngster is hungrier than ever for success at the Olympic Games 2024 in Paris.
The two have carved out quite the rivalry, with Knighton believing it will be a blockbuster match-up in the future.
“He’s doing his thing right now,” he discussed with Reuters.
“Everybody has their time and place in a rivalry and I feel like just going on in the years, once I get older, it’s just going to be a movie every time we step on the track.”
Team USA sprinters Erriyon Knighton and Noah Lyles.
Knighton on dealing with pressure
For right now, though, it is all about dealing with the pressure on his shoulders.
Tampa-born Knighton takes it in his stride but wants to keep things realistic.
“Until I get old, there’s still going to be (comments) like, ‘the young phenom’ or ‘I did this at my age’,” he added to Men’s Health.
“They were expecting me to break the world record when I was 19, 20, but in reality it’s just not like that.
“I’m just not at the point where I’m at my best but I’m getting better – when I reach my best, then we can talk about the world records.”
Rising to stardom in his teens, he is all about putting in the work to improve his game, practising four days a week, with a recovery day sandwiched in the middle.
It is a lifetime commitment for, as Knighton says, a ‘19-second moment’.
“For some people, it doesn’t seem like a good outcome because it’s only 19 seconds,” he adds.
“But when you run track it’s like… them 19 seconds, that’s what we work for.”