Forged your minds again to the 100m and 200m finals on the London 2012 Olympics. On the boys’s facet, Usain Bolt took the plaudits in each whereas Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce and Allyson Felix reached the highest of the ladies’s dash podiums.
Whereas all of that adrenaline-filled motion was occurring, in Clarendon, Jamaica and Tampa, Florida each Tina Clayton and Erriyon Knighton have been kids nonetheless getting used to being at main college, not to mention serious about careers in sport. Nonetheless, each now share those self same desires and ambitions because the aforementioned greats of the observe.
The duo, voted AW’s worldwide junior athletes of the 12 months, are 18 and have skilled rises within the sport as speedy as their velocity over the bottom.
Clayton is a double world under-20 100m and 4x100m champion whereas Knighton turned the youngest ever particular person dash medallist in World Championships historical past when he landed 200m bronze in Eugene this summer season.
They’ve torn information aside, too. When Clayton clocked a 100m private better of 10.95 on the World Beneath-20 Championships, it additionally represented a Jamaican under-20 mark. She was additionally a part of the Jamaican 4x100m staff which set the world under-20 4x100m document of 42.94.
Knighton stole the headlines with a very gorgeous season opener of 19.49 – a time that broke the under-20 world document and now locations him fifth on the all-time listing – however he backed it up with that main medal in Oregon after which a Diamond League win in Brussels.
The following technology has nicely and actually arrived.
Tina Clayton (Marta Gorczynska for World Athletics)
Being Jamaican, Clayton understands her nation’s historical past and affiliation with sprinting. Such has been their dominance, she was simply 4 days outdated the final time the Olympic girls’s 100m title wasn’t claimed by both Fraser-Pryce or Elaine Thompson-Herah.
“I imagine I will probably be very profitable,” Clayton tells AW. “To know that Jamaica completed one, two, three within the 100m on the World Championships is a large motivation, so after I develop up I could be part of that as nicely. It drives me ahead and provides me starvation after I prepare so I can obtain that sort of success.
“They’ve set large examples for the younger generations. We glance as much as them and wish to be like them. It takes plenty of dedication, blood sweat and tears to get to that sort of success.”
Knighton, who had checked out one stage like being an American soccer participant somewhat than a sprinter, additionally is aware of his historical past. Following within the footsteps of the likes of Jesse Owens, Carl Lewis and Michael Johnson isn’t any straightforward process however neither is dealing with his compatriot Noah Lyles, who received the world 200m crown and broke Johnson’s 26-year-old US document of 19.32 within the course of at Hayward Subject.
{The teenager}, nonetheless, has world dominance in thoughts.
“Till I get a world document and a few gold medals subsequent to my identify I’m not going to be happy,” says the person who final 12 months turned the USA’s youngest male observe and discipline Olympian since 1964. “All people goes to consider it [breaking Usain Bolt’s 200m world record of 19.19]. He was the man who set the usual and I really feel like all people is now serious about setting a brand new normal. I believe it’s doable [to break the world record]. I’ve simply acquired to stay to what I’m doing in coaching and imagine in myself.
“I’m making an attempt to be like one of many greats within the US like Jesse [Owens] and Michael [Johnson]. All of the sprinters from my technology grew up watching Usain Bolt, although, as a result of he was so dominant. That’s what the individuals liked. If I wish to emulate them then I’ve simply acquired to dominate my decade.”
Erriyon Knighton (World Athletics)
What’s so spectacular from each Clayton and Knighton is that each perceive their exploits will probably be adopted by expectation however neither shies away from it. Notably, nonetheless, neither makes use of social media to the identical extent as their friends. A capability to modify off from the noise clearly has a optimistic impact and so they acknowledge the importance of sending their greatest messages on the observe.
“For those who don’t have the arrogance in your self you may be defeated earlier than the race,” Clayton says. “You need to see your self as a winner already earlier than you go on the market. You need to put your thoughts above belongings you assume you possibly can’t do.
“You should have issues that set you again and make you’re feeling such as you wish to quit however you must imagine in your self and your coach. I now must set new objectives. A part of these is simply to stay centered, prepare nicely and imagine in God.”
Knighton, who turned skilled as a 16-year-old, is of the same opinion.
“I’m simply super-focused at my job. Folks within the observe world count on me to be smiling on the scene and completely satisfied about all the pieces I do. You understand, sub-20 for an 18-year-old each week isn’t common!
“I believe what’s affecting kids proper now could be the web as a result of everyone seems to be on it on a regular basis. You get athletes who, proper earlier than the race, are on Instagram and I’m not likely like that. I’ll be listening to music from the elevator on the lodge to the warm-up space on the observe.
“We’re all human so I do care what individuals assume [about me]. However I received’t say phrases really damage me as I don’t care what an individual says. I simply go on the market and carry out and I get them to love me.”
Erriyon Knighton (Getty)
Clayton and Knighton grew up in environments which didn’t instantly result in a profession in observe and discipline. In Jamaica, Clayton actually solely began operating severely in the direction of the latter finish of faculty.
She began off as a 200m runner however, like her twin sister Tia – who was additionally a part of the Jamaican 4x100m under-20 world document staff – transformed to the 100m. Within the area of 5 years, her private finest has now dropped from 12.12 to 10.95.
It might have all been so totally different for Knighton. There was that stint with American soccer, in addition to making an attempt out basketball earlier than, as he places it, being “pressured into observe and discipline” by his soccer coach, who had noticed the teenager’s flip of velocity.
Now he, like Clayton, is being talked about in the identical breath because the greats of observe and discipline. Each seem to take all of it of their swift strides.
“Shelly-Ann Fraser-Pryce is my position mannequin,” Clayton says of the five-time 100m world champion. “She’s a terrific instance for everyone and has proven that you may have the best mindset nevertheless it’s not all about successful. Typically you’ll exit and lose and never do nicely, the place you get questions from individuals who don’t know what’s occurring behind the scenes.
“She has proven to the youthful technology that you may imagine in your objectives. I’ve achieved so much already and I look as much as her.”
For each article written about Knighton, Bolt’s identify isn’t distant, however the rising star is proud to be related alongside the good man – even when he was not a right away supply of inspiration.
“After I first began operating observe everybody was Usain Bolt,” says the American. “I can inform you proper now, I didn’t really wish to be like him rising up however, for me, it’s an honour to be in the identical sentence as him as a result of he was simply so nice. He’s been doing it ever since I’ve been alive.
“Lots of people have stated I simply run off talent proper now so now the laborious work begins.”
It could be that, in the end, these two youngsters find yourself being held in comparable reverence to those illustrious names. No matter occurs, it will likely be enjoyable watching.
Factfiles
Tina Clayton – JamaicaBorn: August 17, 2004PBs: 100m 10.95; 200m 23.30Achievements2022: World Beneath-20 Championships 100mand 4x100m gold2021: World Beneath-20 Championships 100mand 4x100m gold
Erriyon Knighton – United StatesBorn: January 29, 2004PBs: 100m 10.04; 200m 19.49Achievements2022: World Championships 200m bronze; Brussels Diamond League first2021: Olympic 200m fourth
» This text first appeared within the December concern of AW journal
