After much reflection, Filipino-American sprinter Kristina Marie Knott will be ready to compete again.
Competing in the Olympics for the first time may have overwhelmed her, but the experience of being in the Tokyo Games has given Knott the lessons she needs to be better the next time around.
“Just being in the world stage, any athlete is gonna be nervous, since I have never been there before. But I felt good going in, just sitting in the call room, I was ready. Once the gun went off, I felt good going around the curve,” said Knott as she talked about her performance in the women’s 200-meters at the Olympic Stadium.
Knott said she tried to go fast against the fastest runners in her heat — American sprinter Jenna Prandini, Gambia’s Gina Bass and Australian Riley Day. But things did not go well when Knott rounded the first curve.
“I was trying to lift my hips. Coming off the curve, that’s when I tried to hit it. But when I tried to hit it, I was not going anywhere,” added Knott.
Eventually, Prandini advanced to the semifinals in 22.56 seconds. Bass qualified with Day with their times of 22.74 and 22.94 seconds respectively.
Knott, came in at 5th place with a clocking of 23.80 seconds.
“I was saying to myself, come on, come on. I was mentally trying to tell my body to let go. But she was not listening to me clearly,” added Knott.
Knott said the whole experience of competing in the Olympics eventually gave her a better outlook of how she is, and how she will approach her preparations the next time around.
And being there in the world stage is a whole new experience.
In the finals, taking the gold was Jamaican Elaine Thompson-Herah, one of the athletes she ran against during her quest to qualify to the Olympiad.
And Thompson-Herah topped the finals in 21.53 seconds, a national Jamaican record. Christine Mboma of Namibia settled for the silver (21.81 seconds) followed by American Gabrielle Thomas (21.87).
Knott, who eventually succumbed to hot weather that day, said she now knows she was better than what she showed, vowing she will be back to prepare for international meets again after a month’s rest.
With a better perspective of matters, Knott will be preparing for at least two major events, and that’s the World Championships in Oregon and the Southeast Asian Games.
“It was a cool experience. But it did not turn out the way I wanted it to. But, just being in the atmosphere of greatness, it was an experience to remember for sure,” said Knott.
