Erriyon Knighton (born January 29, 2004 in Tampa, Florida) is an American sprinter specializing in the 100 meters and 200 meters. At the age of 18, he won the bronze medal in the 200 meters at the 2022 World Athletics Championships, becoming the youngest ever individual sprint medalist in Championships history. He is the 2023 U.S. Champion in the 200 meters.
Knighton holds the world under-18 best in the 200 meters of 19.84 seconds, set on June 27, 2021, and world U20 record with a time of 19.69 seconds, set on June 26, 2022. His best mark of 19.49 seconds (not ratified) makes him the fifth-fastest athlete in history over the distance, only surpassed by Usain Bolt, Yohan Blake, Noah Lyles and Michael Johnson. It was also the fastest season opener ever.
In 2022, Knighton became the first athlete in history to win a second World Athletics Male Rising Star of the Year award.
On July 9, 2023, in Eugene during the USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships, he won his first senior national title by triumphing in the 200 meters with a time of 19.72 seconds.
At the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest in August, Erriyon Knighton once again stood on a world podium by finishing second in the 200 meter final with a time of 19.75 seconds. He was once again beaten by Noah Lyles, who won comfortably with a time of 19.52 seconds.
At the end of the season in September, he finished third in the 200 meter final of the Diamond League in Eugene with a time of 19.97 seconds.
Erriyon closed his last season as a junior with 18 times under 20 seconds in the 200 meters, with his top 10 times occupying the 10 best U20 performances of all time in the 200 meters.