
Kristina Knott’s dream doesn’t stop at just earning a berth to the Tokyo Olympics next month.
The Fil-American sprinter said she is determined to make the most out of her experience at the grandest sports stage in the world despite facing tall odds in her event, the women’s 200 meters.
“I don’t think I’ll ever be satisfied,” Knott said during her guesting in Noli Eala’s Power and Play program Saturday, June 26.
“But I think that’s what motivates me: to run well to the (Olympic) Games.”
Knott earned an Olympic ticket through universality places, becoming one of the 15 Filipino athletes currently qualified to the Games.
The 2019 Southeast Asian Games double gold medalist said she doesn’t want to “just show up” at the Olympics.
“(This) is an opportunity for me to put the greatest flag on my chest, to show out and not just represent,” Knott said.
She has already set her sights at breaking her own national and SEAG record of 23.01 seconds and hopes it would be enough to land her in the finals.
“I’m trying to get out of 23 seconds,” said Knott.
“I no longer wanted to run 23 seconds. If it’s 22.90 or better, I’ll take it. Cause I’m tired of 23s.”
Knott was supposed to race in Finland and Sweden, but tested positive of COVID-19. She was asymptomatic and was nearing the end of her five-day quarantine, confident that she would test negative so she could return training on the track back in the United States.
Despite the setbacks, Knott said she is focused on moving forward. She is set to return to Florida for a week before attending a mini training camp in Austin, Texas.
“Right now, I just want to focus on preparing myself for the Olympics, doing the best I can while in quarantine. It was a weird feeling because when I got the news that I qualified for Tokyo, I was serving my quarantine. But I’m excited. I can’t wait,” she said.