MANILA, Philippines — Fil-Am sprinter Kristina Knott has trained her sights on breaching the 23-second mark in the women’s 200 meters when she makes her Olympics debut in Tokyo next month.
“I’m trying to get out of 23 (seconds), I no longer want to run 23s and if that’s 22.9 or better, I’ll take it because I’m tired of running 23s,” said Knott in an interview with Power and Play with Noli Eala Saturday.
The 25-year-old Knott has actually gotten close to breaching it and the closest was a 23.01 that won her not only the gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac but also set the new meet and national records.
And achieving it would be Knott's sole focus when she returns to training in the United States.
“The 200 is a rhythm race so I know me and my coach, we’re going to work on nothing but rhythm. We just to really have tailor training that is focused on the 200,” said Knott, who is hoping test comes out negative Sunday after testing positive for COVID-19 last Monday in Sweden.
Knott said she will give it her everything to make the country proud in the quadrennial event.
“Being an Olympian is an opportunity to put the greatest flag on my chest to show out, not just represent,” she said.