Kristina Knott is back in her old form.
The 28-year-old Knott ran as fast the late Lydia de Vega-Mercado when she almost equalled the Philippine national mark that she currently owns.
The Orlando, Florida-based Knott came up with one of her fastest clockings on her third meeting in the outdoor season this year, when she competed this weekend in the 2024 Texas Relays at the Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Texas.
The Fil-American Knott, who saw action in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, finished with a fast time of 11.28 seconds to settle for fourth place in the women’s 200-meter run invitationals, some 1/100 seconds off her record time of 11.27 seconds, which she submitted four years ago.
The last time she ran this fast was during LSU Alumni Gold meet at LSU Bernie Moore Stadium, Baton Rouge back in 2021 for the gold, also at 11.28 seconds.
She was at her fastest when Knott broke the 33-year-old Philippine national mark of Lydia de Vega-Mercado, a year before in 2020 at 11.27 seconds.
De Vega-Mercado used to hold that Philippine record at 11.28 seconds when she saw action in the 1987 Southeast Asia Games.
Gabby Thomas, running for New Balance, took the gold medal in 10.88 seconds, while Celara Barnes settled for second in 11 seconds, while Tamara Clark took third in 11.03 seconds.
After that, Knott settled for seventh in the women’s 200-meter event, with her time of 23.21 seconds.
This was .28 seconds off Knott’s season’s best of 23.49 seconds, which she did last week in the Willie Williams Classic at the Roy P. Drachman Stadium in Tucson, Arizona.
Thomas also took the gold in women’s 200-meter event in 22.08 seconds, a new meet record, with Clark in second in 22.21. Lyn Irby Jackson was third in 22.70.
Meanwhile, Lauren Hoffman celebrated her 25th birthday with a fourth-place finish in the women’s 400-meter hurdles invitationals.
Cheered on by family members, Hoffman reached the finish line in 58.37 seconds, with another Fil-American bet Robyn Brown in sixth in 58.63 seconds.
Jessica Wright took the gold in 57.42 seconds, with Alyana Yukich of Australia in second (57.53) and Bianca Stubler in third (57.56).
Last week, the 5’6” Hoffman took the gold medal in record-breaking fashion in the women’s 400-meter hurdles of the annual Hurricane Collegiate Invitational at Cobb Stadium.
