On the Olympic track, 17-year-old Erriyon Knighton is a sensation. He broke Usain Bolt’s under-18 record in the 200 meters in May and surpassed Bolt’s under-20 record in June, and he beat reigning world champion Noah Lyles, 24, in two races at the Olympic trials.
But at Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla., where we’re both rising seniors, he’s just another student, just Erriyon. He walks through the halls, tall and slim and boyish. He dresses in Adidas gear because the company sponsors him, but he generally doesn’t bring a lot of attention to himself.
Erriyon’s friends say he’s funny and likes to mess around.