BATON ROUGE, LOUISIANA, April 30 — The future is here. That’s the only conclusion to be drawn after 18-year-old Erriyon Knighton blasted his first 200 of the season in a World Junior Record 19.49, making himself the No. 4 performer in history (see sidebar) and putting the American (19.32) and World (19.19) Records on notice. In doing so, he left the collegiate-leading 19.92 by Florida’s Joe Fahnbulleh far behind.
Last year, after a season that saw him hit 19.84 and place 4th at the Olympics, Knighton had the sport raving about his boundless future potential. Yet few, if any, saw it coming so fast, so soon. He had already run the 100 in two meets, but neither revealed his trajectory. The first was a 10.39 into a monster 5.6 gust; the second a 10.04 that nipped Noah Lyles at the Tom Jones Memorial.
At the LSU Invitational, conditions were near perfect. A light 1.4 breeze came down the homestretch. Knighton started well and had a clear lead by 50m. He made up the stagger long before the straight, which he entered with a 5-6m lead on Dorian Camel. Fahnbulleh, a notoriously fast closer, charged hard to grab 2nd but barely made a dent in Knighton’s lead. Camel, an LSU junior, slashed 0.31 off his best with his 20.00.
Knighton’s 100m split was 10.3 and he rushed home down the straight in 9.2. The teen prodigy’s closing figure was comparable to those for Bolt’s World Record and the two WRs that preceded it, albeit with more favorable wind for Knighton. Splits from those races for comparison: Bolt 19.19(-0.3) 9.92/9.27, Bolt’s 19.30(-0.9) 9.96/9.34, Michael Johnson’s 19.32(0.4) 10.12/9.20.
Knighton’s only public comment on the race was an Instagram post saying, “If only you knew what I had to sacrifice to get here.”
Indeed, the world leader in the 400, Michael Cherry, had a better line when he tweeted, “That boy got algebra on Monday,” a fact that Knighton confirmed when he returned to his high school classes after the weekend.
The competition at Bernie Moore Track saw other great marks as well: Tennessee frosh Favour Ashe took the men’s 100 in 9.79, aided by a 3.0 wind; it was the No. 5 collegiate performance ever in all conditions.
LSU’s Favour Ofili moved to No. 8 among collegians all-time with her 10.93 in the women;s 100. Texas became the No. 6 school ever in the 4×1 at 42.37.
On the field, Florida’s female jumpers ruled, with Natricia Hooper tripling a windy 46-6¼ (14.18) for an all-conditions list leader and Jasmine Moore (22-4½/6.82) and Anna Hall (22-1½/6.74w) going 1-2.
LSU INVITATIONAL MEN’S RESULTS
100(3.0): 1. ***Favour Ashe’ (Tn-Ngr) 9.79w (a-c CL) (a-c: 5, 5 C);
2. **Da’Marcus Fleming (LSU) 10.02w; 3. Dedrick Vanover (Fl) 10.10w; 4. Micaiah Harris (Tx) 10.11w; 5. **Joe Fahnbulleh’ (Fl-Lbr) 10.17w.
200(1.4): 1. Erriyon Knighton (adi) 19.49 WJR, AJR (old records 19.84 Knighton ‘21) (WL, AL) (4, 8 W; 2, 2 A);
2. Fahnbulleh’ 19.92; 3. *Dorian Camel (LSU) 20.00 PR; 4. Brendon Rodney’ (Can) 20.29.
400: 1. *Jonathan Jones’ (Tx-Bar) 44.79; 2. Tyler Terry (unat) 45.08; 3. *Champion Allison (Fl) 45.16 PR.
110H(-0.4): 1. Grant Holloway (adi) 13.34; 2. Eric Edwards (LSU) 13.57; 3. Joey Daniels’ (Can) 13.78; 4. **Corde Long (Al) 13.90.
400H: 1. Quincy Hall (adi) 48.51; 2. Quincy Downing (unat) 49.22; 3. Charles Brockman (Tx) 50.18; 4. **Jakwan Hale (Tn) 50.59 PR.
4 x 100: 1. LSU 38.85 (Edwards, Camel, Fleming, Higgins’); 2. Florida 38.86; 3. Tennessee 38.99; 4. Canada 39.25; 5. Texas 39.30; 6. Baylor 39.32; 7. Alabama 40.00.
4 x 400: 1. LSU 3:02.97 (Camel, Burrell, Smith, Hicks); 2. Texas 3:03.01; 3. Tennessee 3:04.16; 4. Florida 3:07.37.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Django Lovett’ (Can) 7-4¼ (2.24).
LJ: 1. Marquis Dendy (unat) 26-4½ (8.04); 2. ***Wayne Pinnock’ (Tn-Jam) 26-3¾ (8.02); 3. Carey McLeod’ (Tn-Jam) 26-2¾ (7.99); 4. Rayvon Grey (unat) 26-2¾ (7.99); 5. **Emmanuel Ineh’ (Al-Ngr) 25-9½ (7.86).
TJ: 1. ***Apalos Edwards’ (LSU-Jam) 53-4½w (16.27) (51-10/15.80); 2. *Jonathan Miller’ (Fl-Bar) 51-7¾w (15.74).
SP: 1. Tripp Piperi (Tx) 69-7 (21.21); 2. **John Meyer (LSU) 66-1 (20.14); 3. Andrew Liskowitz (unat) 65-1¼ (19.84);
4. Jalil Brewer (Tx) 64-5¾ (19.65).
DT: 1. **Alan de Falchi’ (Al-Bra) 195-8 (59.65); 2. Jerimiah Evans (Al) 190-11 (58.21).
HT: 1. Johnnie Jackson (unat) 233-3 (71.10); 2. *Bobby Colantonio (Al) 227-7 (69.37); 3. Kieran McKeag (Al) 226-7 (69.07); 4. Jake Norris’ (LSU-GB) 221-4 (67.46).
JT: 1. ***Chinecherem Prosper Nnamdi’ (Bay-Ngr) 239-8 (73.06); 2. **Tzuriel Pedigo (LSU) 235-1 (71.66).
LSU WOMEN’S RESULTS
100: I(2.0)–1. **Favour Ofili’ (LSU-Ngr) 10.93 PR (8, x C);
2. Aleia Hobbs (adi) 11.11; 3. Jenna Prandini (Pum) 11.15; 4. Khamica Bingham’ (Can) 11.22; 5. Jada Baylark (Ar) 11.25. II(2.4)–1. Mikiah Brisco (unat) 10.98w; 2. **Kevona Davis’ (Tx-Jam) 11.15w.
200: I(0.2)–1. Prandini 22.45; 2. **Julien Alfred’ (Tx-StL) 22.68 NR; 3. **Talitha Diggs (Fl) 22.91; 4. Baylark (Ar) 22.92; 5. Bingham’ 22.99.
400: I–1. Kendall Ellis (NBal) 51.00; 2. ***Rosey Effiong (Ar) 51.66 PR; 3. ***Kavia Francis’ (Bay-Jam) 51.87 PR; 4. **Britton Wilson (Ar) 52.47. II–1. ***Imaobong Nse Uko’ (Bay-Ngr) 51.66; 2. Taylor Manson (Fl) 52.35.
800: 1. *Katy-Ann McDonald’ (LSU-GB) 2:02.87; 2. Aaliyah Miller (Bay) 2:03.32; 3. ***Michaela Rose (LSU) 2:03.34.
100H: I(1.6)–1. **Alia Armstrong (LSU) 12.72; 2. **Grace Stark (Fl) 12.83; 3. ***Ackera Nugent’ (Bay-Jam) 12.99; 4. **Emelia Chatfield (Tx) 13.18.
400H: 1. Cassandra Tate (adi) 55.65; 2. Wilson 56.63; 3. **Brooke Jaworski (Tx) 57.76; 4. ***Garriel White’ (LSU-Jam) 58.14.
4 x 100: 1. Texas 42.37 (CL) (#6 school) (Alfred’, Adeleke’, Davis’, Flannel);
2. LSU 42.85; 3. Canada 43.11; 4. Mississippi 43.81; 5. Alabama 44.04; 6. Baylor 44.32.
4 x 400: 1. Texas 3:25.64 (Williams’, Adeleke’, Alfred’, Simon 49.89); 2. Arkansas 3:30.09; 3. Alabama 3:34.28.
Field Events
HJ: 1. Tyra Gittens’ (Tx-Tri) 6-1¼ (1.86).
PV: 1. **Amanda Fassold (Ar) 14-1¾ (4.31).
LJ: 1. **Jasmine Moore (Fl) 22-4½ (6.82); 2. **Anna Hall (Fl) 22-1½w (6.74) (20-9¼/6.33); 3. **Claire Bryant (Fl) 21-10¾ (6.67); 4. Yanis David’ (Fra) 21-7½w (6.59) (21-¾/6.42); 5. **Kristīne Blaževiča’ (Tx-Lat) 20-11¼w (6.38) (20-9¾/6.34).
TJ: 1. Natricia Hooper’ (Fl-Guy) 46-6¼w (14.18) (a-c out CL) (44-½, 45-5¼, 44-6¼, f, 46-6¼w, p) (13.42, 13.85, 13.57, f, 14.18w, p);
2. *Charisma Taylor’ (Tn-Bah) 44-4w (13.51) (44-3½/13.50); 3. ***Darja Sopova’ (Tx-Lat) 43-8½w (13.32) (43-5/13.23); 4. **Alissa Braxton (Fl) 43-2¼w (13.16) (42-6¼/12.96).
SP: 1. Portious Warren’ (Tri) 58-2 (17.73); 2. Lioydricia Cameron’ (Jam) 56-4 (17.17); 3. **Marilyn Nwora (Tx) 56-1¾ (17.11); 4. *Jalani Davis (Ms) 53-9 (16.38); 5. Amber Hart (LSU) 52-8¾ (16.07).
DT: 1. ***Chrystal Herpin (Tx) 182-7 (55.66) PR; 2. Tedreauna Britt (Ms) 178-1 (54.29).
HT: 1. Janeah Stewart (unat) 235-0 (71.62); 2. Lisa Wilson (unat) 229-10 (70.05); 3. *Jalani Davis (Ms) 209-7 (63.88).
JT: 1. Liz Gleadle’ (Can) 192-3 (58.61); 2. *Hailey Poole (Al) 165-7 (50.49) PR; 3. Samantha Zelden (Al) 161-6 (49.24).