By Kristel Satumbaga
Fil-American sprinter Kristina Knott finished only second in the Drake Blue Oval Meet in Iowa over the weekend but did the unthinkable.
By clocking 11.27 seconds (+1.5 m/s), Knott smashed Lydia De Vega-Mercado’s 33-year-old national record in the 100-meter dash.
Banking on an explosive start, Knott went on to eclipse De Vega-Mercado’s long-standing PH and Southeast Asian Games mark of 11.28sec which she posted during the 1987 Southeast Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia – a record that was set eight years before Knott was born.
The Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) recognized Knott’s achievement in a congratulatory post on its Facebook account.
“KK (Knott) breaks sprint legend Lydia De Vega-Mercado’s 33-year 100m record with an 11.27s performance, coming in second at the Drake Blue Oval Showcase’s 100m event. Congratulations KK!” the post read, accompanied by Knott’s photo.
Pinoy Athletics first reported Knott’s feat, where athletes ran one lane apart due to health restrictions in this time of pandemic. The 24-year-old settled behind eventual winner Kayla White, who posted a season best of 11.18sec.
Knott’s achievement also inched her closer to reaching the qualifying standard for next year’s Tokyo Olympics of 11.15sec while also surpassing her silver-medal finish of 11.55sec at the 2019 SEA Games.
She is also the SEA Games record holder in 200m.
