Fil-American Kristina Knott is in great shape after she broke the national record twice in the women’s 60-meter event of the KMS Invitational Tournament in Alabama, United States last Monday.
Officials of the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association took note of her fitness after she eclipsed the Philippine marks that were established by the retired sprint queen Lydia de Vega back in 1988.
“Looks like she is in very very good shape. Imagine breaking the 23-year-old national record twice in several hours,” said PATAFA chief Philip Ella Juico.
De Vega held the national indoor record when she clocked 7.37 seconds in Japan 23 years ago.
This record fell twice when Knott competed at the Metrocross Plex tracks in Birmingham.
It first went down when Knott topped the first heat in 7.33 seconds, beating Ashanti Tigner’s 7.76, and Amanda Lowe (7.81).
In the finals, Knott took the gold with a lower time of 7.32 seconds, with Ashley Kelly taking the silver in 7.62 seconds, and Jasmine Riley settling for the bronze in 7.67 seconds.
This kept Knott on course in her bid to qualify for the Tokyo Olympics in both the 100-meter and 200-meter sprints.
She is set to keep up training by joining the Scarlet and Grey meet on Jan. 31, Sunday.
Meanwhile, another Tokyo Olympic aspirant, Eric Cray settled for the silver medals in the men’s 200-meter and 400-meter events.
Cray, who saw action in the 2016 Rio Games Olympian, reached the finish line 21.67 seconds in the 200-meter dash, while registering 48.13 seconds in the 400-meter event.
Devonte Fletcher ruled the 200-meter event in 21.45 seconds, while Ezekiel Suarez topped the 400-meters in 47.79 seconds.
