Running
Learn more about sprinter Erriyon Knighton and his most striking career moments so far.
There are few things more inspiring than the story of a young athletic superstar, and United States sprinter Erriyon Knighton is a perfect example. In the world of running, dedication and commitment is key. "I don’t focus on anything when I run," Knighton told The Red Bulletin. "I just step on the track and let my body do the work. I just show up and run. I’m a simple guy. I go get the job done and then leave."
From his days as a star high school athlete to competing on the world stage, Knighton’s rise is truly inspiring. Between his record-breaking event times and his fascinating backstory, Knighton remains an unmistakable presence in the arena of track and field.
01
Early career and rise to prominence
As a student at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Florida, Knighton had an unexpected start to his athletic career as a wide receiver. At this time, he had hopes of making it to the NFL — and, capturing the attention of college scouts, he wasn’t far from it. But Knighton’s coach soon flagged his talent for speed and argued that he had a better shot at stardom on the track. "I just did it (track) because I wanted to stay fit during the off-season,” Knighton said. He began track and field in the ninth grade and surprised himself at just how quickly he could run.
Knighton’s rise to prominence was almost as fast as his 100-meter sprint. He soon became the youngest athlete to qualify to compete on the international level, often surpassing the times of his older peers. It was clear that Knighton had the makings of a star.
02
Breaking records
Knighton wasn’t very far into his professional career when he broke his first major record. He began lowering the under-20 standard early on — successfully doing so twice before April 2022 — when he entered a new level of prestige. At 18, Knighton set out for Baton Rouge, Louisiana, where he set the world under-20 record in the 200-meter, previously held by iconic runner Usain Bolt.
Knighton’s 19.49-second sprint at the Louisiana State University Invitational propelled him into a new level of athletic stardom. Bolt himself even offered words of encouragement following Knighton’s stellar LSU performance.
03
Historic wins and championships
Below is a list of some of Knighton’s most notable wins and championships.
- 2019 AAU National Club Championships — Orlando, FL. In this series of July races, Knighton had a complete first-place sweep in both the 200- and 400-meter categories. He finished at 21.18 seconds in the 200-meter and 47.67 seconds in the 400-meter.
- 2020 V12 Summer Games — Alachua, FL. In 2020, Knighton came in first place in every race that he ran on record, but the V12 Summer Games were especially notable. At Santa Fe High School, he ran 100 meters in 10.44 seconds, 200 meters in 20.89 seconds, and 400 meters in 47.68 seconds.
- 2021 Pure Athletics Spring Invitational — Clermont, FL. At this April race, Knighton finished the 200-meter with a time of 20.31 seconds, landing him first place. This win came just a year before he broke the under-20 record in the 200-meter.
- 2022 Memorial van Damme — Brussels, Belgium. In 2022, Knighton took his talent overseas, landing wins across Europe. In this 200-meter race, he came in first place with a time of 20.07 seconds.
- 2023 World Athletics Championships — Budapest, Hungary. Knighton continued to make a name for himself internationally. In August, he came in first place in this 200-meter race, finishing with a time of 19.98 seconds.
- 2024 Meeting Hauts-de-France — Liévin, France. 2024 is off to a smashing start for Knighton, who competed in this 200-meter short-track race in February. He crossed the finish line in 20.21 seconds.
04
Personal bests and record performances
The following are Knighton’s personal best times — and how they compare to the current world records.
- 100-meter sprint. Knighton ran his personal best time of 10.04 seconds at Percy Beard Track in Gainesville, Florida in 2022. The current world record is Usain Bolt’s 9.58 seconds in 1986.
- 200-meter sprint. At LSU’s Bernie Moore Stadium in Baton Rouge in 2022, Louisiana, Knighton ran his historic personal best at 19.49 seconds. He currently holds the under-20 world record for this race.
- 200-meter short-track sprint. Knighton’s personal best time for the 200-meter short-track sprint is 20.21 seconds, which he ran at Arena Stade Couvert in Liévin, France in 2024.
- 400-meter sprint. Back at Percy Beard in 2023, Knighton ran his personal best time of 46.15 seconds. This time is just seconds away from Wayde Van Niekerk’s 1992 world record of 43.03 seconds.
- 4x100-meter relay. On April 16th, 2022, Knighton ran his personal best time for this type of race — 38.09 seconds — Percy Beard Track.
- 4x400-meter relay. On the same day as his best 4x100-meter relay, Knighton ran his personal best 4x400-meter relay at 2 minutes and 57.72 seconds.
05
Future prospects
With his sprinting career flourishing, it’s clear that Knighton’s reign is just beginning. In the future, he hopes to continue competing on the world stage and to leave previous sprinting records in the dust. “I just look back to where I was, on that big of a stage at a young age and I just look at my progression and how I grew over these last few years,” Erriyon said. “I got bigger and I got stronger, so I’m definitely going to be ready.”
The year 2024 marks the first year that Knighton will be eligible to beat records in the over-20 bracket — and he’s prepared to do whatever it takes. Knighton considers one of his biggest strengths to be his self-confidence, and coupled with his prowess on the track, there’s no doubt he’ll aim high.
The legacy of Erriyon Knighton
As Knighton’s athletic achievements make waves in the current track and field landscape, his records are likely to inspire future generations of sprinters. Knighton is living proof that long-time records are meant to be broken. As Knighton continues sprinting into stardom, he’ll undoubtedly continue challenging the sport’s historic performances — and leave nothing but inspiration in his wake.