Becoming First of NFL Athlete Factory, Erriyon Knighton Targets Olympic Podium at Just 20 Years

Erriyon Knighton is on the verge of becoming the very first Olympic medalist from Hillsborough High School. At just 20 years, Knighton has created ripples in the track and field community. Touted as the ‘Fastest teenager on the planet’, Knighton has elevated himself to a level that people are already comparing him with Usain Bolt. However, it would be a shocking revelation that Knighton’s initial interest was to pursue football. 

Coming from the rich football heritage of Hillsborough High, Knighton played as a wide receiver. That was until he was in the ninth grade that he decided to pursue track. And there has been no turning back since then. Come July 2024, the entire US track fans, along with his high school, are dreaming of an identical dream- Olympic glory. 

Erriyon Knighton strives towards Olympic glory

Running 200m at the U18 and U20 Championships, Erriyon Knighton smashed the world records to shock the world. Continuing his glorious run, the 20-year-old has clinched a couple of sub-10 seconds in the 100m discipline. He also holds the record for being the sole teenager from the US to clock a sub-20 in 200m on numerous occasions. 

Heaping praises on Knighton, Hillsborough High School commented, “We’ve had 19 NFL players, but never an Olympian.” This was a reference to the rich legacy of NFL athletes that Hillsborough High has constantly produced over the years. Some of the notable NFL athletes from Knighton’s school are Shawn Mayer, Ricky Proehl, and Shain O’Hara. 

Thus, the hype surrounding Knighton is for real. After all, very few athletes can better Usain Bolt’s U20 record, which stood intact for 18 long years. Let alone qualifying for the Olympics as a high schooler since 1972. However, the fact that Knighton is a champion athlete can be sensed from his willingness to step out of his comfort zone. This is exactly what he mentioned in an interview back in 2022. 

Erriyon Knighton reveals his future plan

In an interview with Olympics.com in 2022, Knighton opened up about his future goals. Apart from eyeing Bolt’s world record, Knighton has also reflected on testing himself in the 400m. He said, “I can go up to the four [400m] or I can stay down at the one [100m]. I  can do either or. I feel like if I choose either one, I could be good at both…Right now I’m just waiting, I’m not in a rush to do nothing. I’m going to try to run a couple more 100s and I might run probably two 400s next year.”

Read More: “Tell Him I’m Faster”: Erriyon Knighton Mocked by US Athlete Ahead of 2024 Season Opener

Speaking about his training regime, Knighton said that he adopts whatever his coach asks him to do. He further stated that he did not care much about his training, Knighton just knew that he was training to become great. 

Continue to Read: Shortly After Breaking Usain Bolt’s Record, Erriyon Knighton Achieves Historic Feat At Season Opener