Knighton leads all 200 qualifiers with 20.04 performance in first round, surpassing 20.09 effort by Lyles at 2016 Trials; adidas athlete equals No. 2 all-time World Under-20 competitor, with Bolt’s record 19.93 in his sights

By Todd Grasley for DyeStat

In a field loaded with star power, 17-year-old adidas athlete Erriyon Knighton eased into the starting blocks for the opening round of the 200 meters Friday at the United States Olympic Team Trials and quickly proved he belonged with the likes of 2019 World gold medalist Noah Lyles and two-time World Championships qualifier Fred Kerley, who also made the Olympic team June 20 in the 100-meter dash.

Knighton, representing Hillsborough High in Florida, took a quick glance at Lyles and Kerley and crossed the line to see a new American Under-20 record of 20.04, breaking that of Lyles, who three lanes over, witnessed firsthand his mark go down. 

“It was a good race,” said Knighton, who eclipsed the mark of 20.09 achieved by Lyles as a senior at T.C. Williams High in Virginia at the 2016 Trials.

“I came out here and did what I needed to do to get to the next round. I didn’t have too much pressure, but I did have the World Champion behind me, so I couldn’t let off the gas too much.”

Knighton also improved on his own World Under-18 all-time best of 20.11 achieved May 31 in Jacksonville. He also surpassed the fastest American Under-20 performance in history of 20.07 produced in 1985 by Lorenzo Daniel of Mississippi State, although it is not recognized as the official record.

“He executed the race as we trained for it,” said Knighton’s coach Jonathan Terry. “He wanted to stay amongst the pack and run the first 150 meters hard. The last 50 meters, we told him to do a quick check of where he was currently, and if he was out front. to let up those last 50 meters.”

Lyles placed fourth in the 2016 Trials final, just nine days shy of his 19th birthday.

“That was my first time racing against him and, of course, I’ve watched a ton of his races because he’s raced a lot down in Clermont, and you know I love to see it,” Lyles said. “It reminds me of when I was coming out here in 2016 and now seeing another group of people doing it.”

Knighton and coach Terry know that they are going to get the best out of these world-class sprinters in Saturday’s semifinals and say the goal was just to qualify and put even more effort into advancing to the final.

Knighton equaled the No. 2 all-time World U-20 competitor, Ramil Guliyev of Azerbaijan, who ran 20.04 in 2009.

Usain Bolt’s World Under-20 Record of 19.93 isn't out of reach either. The Jamaican sprinter with eight Olympic gold medals and regarded as the greatest of all-time set that mark at the age of 17, competing in Bermuda in 2004. 

“His preparation and details have gone to another level in practice,” Terry said. “The amount of film he watches is insane. He dedicates at least two hours a day watching all of his races. I’m not surprised at anything he does. He’s special and was created differently.”

Knighton will be matched up again with Lyles in the semifinals, along with LSU standout Terrance Laird, who ran 19.81 in March at the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays.