“My goal this year is probably just to get gold, get on the podium" - Erriyon Knighton aims at winning in Budapest

Erriyon Knighton intends to win a gold medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships, commencing on August 19 in the Hungarian capital — Budapest.

Amongst the 139-member squad of the USA, Knighton is listed to compete in the men's 200m race. In the 2022 World Athletics Championships, the 19-year-old won a bronze medal in 200m with a time of 19.80 seconds behind Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek.

The young American has set his sights on winning a gold medal in Budapest. In a recent interview with Team USA, he stated:

“My goal this year is probably just to get gold, get on the podium and just be better than last year. That's the goal for me, just to be better than last year. I don't think that I'm running the race wrong, but I also don't think that I'm running it too right, either yet. There are some things that I can do better."

Knighton won a gold medal in the men's 200m at the 2023 USATF Outdoor Championships with a time of 17.92 seconds, leaving behind Kenny Bednarek.

He became the youngest American male after Jim Ryun, at the age of 17, to represent the USA at the Olympics. At the Tokyo Olympics, Knighton finished fourth in the 200m category with a time of 19.93 seconds.

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Erriyon Knighton prepares silently to create a legacy in the athletics world

Erriyon Knighton reacts after competing in the men's 200m at the 2022 World Athletics Championships held at Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon

Erriyon Knighton has established himself as a strong contender in Budapest. While the other athletes are known for making bold predictions about their victories and record-breaking goals, Knighton prefers to hustle in silence.

The American sprinter's success has created excitement among fans and the athletics world has also been talking about him. However, Knighton is barely affected by it.

"Sometimes it motivates, but I tend not to pay attention to it, because I'm just trying to see what I do first, my progression", Knighton told Team USA. " I'm not really one of those types of people who says what I'm going to do, and how I'm going to do it. I just train very hard and when I get on the track my work will show for itself."

Erriyon Knighton would be competing against Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and Courtney Lindsey in Budapest and is hopeful for a good result.

"We've got a good chance to do some great things over there", he said. "Man, we got a squad, if anyone wants to break it up, they're gonna have to do something special."

If the 19-year-old wins a gold medal in Budapest, he will be the youngest-ever world champion in the 200m.