US sprinter who Usain Bolt tipped to be the next big thing now faces being banned from the sport
A sprinter who Usain Bolt once tipped to have a great career could face being banned from the sport.
Bolt, 38, once tipped an American sprinter to achieve greatness in sprinting, but his career could soon be in tatters.
US Olympian Erriyon Knighton was described as “pretty good” by Bolt ahead of last summer’s Olympic Games in Paris and wound up finishing fourth in the 200m final with a time of 19.99 seconds.
Knighton, 21, made history when he became the youngest male since Jim Ryun in 1964 to make the US Olympic team when he qualified for the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.
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Speaking on the Obi One Podcast, Bolt said: "I don't see it [any current sprinter beating my world record].
"At times, you can see talent where you go, 'Oh, if he develops, he's going to'. I just don't see it.
"There is one kid who had my attention for a while. His name is Knighton, from the States. He ran 19.40-something.
"He's only just turning 20. So he was pretty good.
"But it's all about developing the talent. You have to find a good coach, someone to nurture and understand how to nurture the talent and help to build that talent.
"When I saw him, I thought, 'This kid really impressed me’.”
But things have not gone as planned for Knighton, as on Monday, he appeared in court.
As reported by ESPN, Knight was cleared to compete at the Paris Games after a tribunal ruled that he was not at fault for testing positive for trenbolone, a hormone designed to increase muscle growth and appetite in livestock. Trenbolone is legally used in beef cattle produced in the US.
The World Anti-Doping Agency and Athletics Integrity Unit have now lodged a combined appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).
CAS said a verdict is likely to be reached within weeks after a two-day hearing.
USADA prosecuted Knighton's original case in March 2024, and he accepted the “no-fault” ruling.
If a new ruling is reached, he could face being banned from the 2025 World Championships, which are set to take place in Tokyo, Japan, between September 13 and 21.
Topics: Usain Bolt, Olympics, Athletics
Luke Davies