'I will be a legend or maybe a World Record holder' - Erriyon Knighton

World 200m bronze medallist Erriyon Knighton dreams big of being a track and field legend or maybe a World Record holder.

Knighton said this in the Bislett Games press conference ahead of the Oslo Diamond League on Thursday, June 15.

"As of right now, the state I'm in, I'll just say I'm good because coming on the scene so young at 17, I really feel like for myself I'm really doing good so if I continue to do what I'm doing, I'll just say in a couple of years I will be a legend or maybe a World Record holder," said Knighton.

The 19-year-old specializes in the 100 and 200m. At age 18, Knighton won the 200m bronze medal at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, becoming the youngest-ever individual sprint medalist in the championship history.

Knighton holds the world U18 record in the 200m of 19.84s, set on June 27, 2021, and the world U20 record with a time of 19.69s, set on June 26, 2022. 

His best mark of 19.49s (not ratified) makes him the fifth-fastest athlete in history over the distance, only surpassed by Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Noah Lyles, and Michael Johnson. It was also the fastest season opener in history.

In 2022, the US speedster became the first athlete in history to win a second World Athletics Male Rising Star of the Year award.