Erriyon Knighton's road to breaking records

Erriyon Knighton, a phenom sprinter from our own Hillsborough High School, almost secured a national title with a 19.69-second 200 at the U.S. track and field championship finals in Oregon on Sunday.

• But he was beat at the finish by Noah Lyles, who clocked 19.67 seconds.

• "Job's not finished. It's never finished," Knighton said after the race.

State of play: Knighton has the potential to be an international track superstar, and even the fastest man in the world, if his coaches can keep him healthy and grounded.

• That's the takeaway from a recent New York Times profile of the 18-year-old, who finished fourth in the 200 at the Tokyo Olympics last summer and has beaten records set by a young Usain Bolt.

The intrigue: Knighton's coaches are trying to help the teen set record speeds, in part, by letting him catch his breath, the Times reports. They've been selective about the number of races Knighton participates in this season.

• "If we want to have longevity in the sport, we can't beat him up," coach Mike Holloway told the Times. "People forget that Bolt was really good at 16 and 17 and when he was 21, 22, he was unbeatable."

What to watch: Knighton will compete in the world championships in Oregon next month.