ni Gerard Peter - @Sports | October 17, 2020
Nagiging malaking balakid para sa pagnanais ni Filipino-American sprinter Kristina Knott na maisakatuparan ang pag-aasam nitong makuha ang isang silya sa 2021 Tokyo Olympics dahil sa nararanasang epekto ng novel coronavirus disease (Covid-19) sa pandaigdigang kumpetisyon.
Hinahadlangan ng naturang sakit ang magkaroon ng mga kompetisyon sa ibang bansa, partikular na sa U.S. kung saan namamalagi ang 25-anyos na 2019 Southeast Asian Games double gold medal winner, na nitong Agosto 30 ay binura ang 33-taong marka ni dating Asian sprint queen Lydia De Vega-Mercado na mas mataas ng 0.1 sa bagong tala na 11.27 seconds.
“The biggest thing that kinda’ ruined (by COVID-19) was the competitions. Competing is my big part of training, and I'm not really train to the ground, and train over and over I need as much competitions i need to get me ready for those big competitions. I'm think the cancellation of these big competitions kind of was a challenging part of pandemic,” pahayag ni Knott nang maging bisita ito kasama si Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa) President Philip Ella Juico sa lingguhang TOPS: Usapang Sports, Huwebes ng umaga, sa virtual online session na live na napakinggan sa Sports on Air sa Facebook page nito at sa malaking suporta ng Philippine Sports Commission, Pagcor at Games and Amusement Board (GAB).
“For the Olympics, before I ran the 100, I was just focused on trying to hit the qualifying standard for 200, but right now, I see my potential, I am going to strive to hit both the 100 and 200 for the Olympics.”
Winasak ni Knott ang ginawa ni De Vega-Mercado sa 2020 Drake Blue Oval Showcase nang makuha niya ito noong 1987 SEA Games sa Jakarta, Indonesia matapos talunin sina 1992 Barcelona Olympian Ratjai Stripet ng Thailand (11.81) at Sajaratuldur Hamzah ng Malaysia (11.85)
Ito ang ikalawang talang itinudla ng University of Miami student-athlete ng gawin rin nitong kunin ang SEA Games at Philippine Record na 23.01 sa nagdaang 30th edisyon ng biennial meet. Sinira nito ang dating record ni Supavadee Khawpeag ng Thailand sa 23.30 seconds noong 2001 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia meet.
Inamin ng 200-m biennial meet sprint queen na malapit na nitong makuha ang inaasam na qualifying mark na 11.15mark sa Summer Olympics sa 100-meter dash at 22.80 segundo sa 200-meter sprint. Kinulang lang ng 0.21 seconds si Knott sa Olympic qualification standard na 22.80 seconds sa women’s 200-meter sa 30th SEA Games sa bansa noong isang taon.
“The qualifying time is 11.15 in 100 m and 22.80 in 200 m. I'm not too far off from them but then again, they all come down to as many quality competitions that i get in. Running fast and compete with people that are faster than me is what gonna help me to qualify for the Olympics,” saad ni Knott.