After resting for two weeks, new Philippine sprint queen Kristina Knott is competing again.
Knott is set to see action in the fourth leg of the American Track League, also known as the World Athletics Silver Tour indoor meet at the Randal Tyson Track Center in Fayetteville.
Her coach Rohsaan Griffin said this following the resetting of the fourth leg’s date because of schedule conflicts last Sunday.
Two weeks ago, Knott posted a new Philippine record in the heats of the women’s 60-meter run.
The 25-year-old Knott clocked 7.22 seconds in the second heat to break the national mark for the third time.
But with the schedules of the 60-meter and the 200-meter race close, and within 16 minutes of each other, Knott deferred from joining the finals of the two events due to fatigue.
Retired Asian sprint queen Lydia de Vega-Mercado held the national indoor record when she clocked 7.37 seconds in Japan 23 years ago.
Knott seeks to become the women’s qualifier for the Philippines in the Tokyo Olympics and join pole vaulter Ernerst John Obiena, boxers Eumir Marcial and Irish Magno, and gymnast Carlo Yulo, who have already qualified.
The Fil-American does not wish to qualify through ranking and universality slot, according to Philippine Athletics Track and Field chief Philip Ella Juico.
“I am confident on Kristina Knott. She does not want to qualify in terms of ranking or universality slot. She wants to qualify on her own,” said Juico.
Knott has already shattered three Philippine records set by de Vega-Mercado. She surpassed De Vega-Mercado’s record twice in a row during the KMS Invitational Tournament in Birmingham, Alabama two weeks ago.
She first did it after topping 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 an even 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 at the Metrocross Plex tracks in Birmingham, Alabama.
Knott could have won the silver if she competed in the 60-meters later.
