Kristina not in Tokyo just to compete

MANILA, Philippines — Fil-Am sprinter Kristina Knott is back in full strength after a bout with COVID-19 last month.

The 25-year-old Knott arrived yesterday in Tokyo and, after a brief layover there, took a connecting flight to Nagasaki, which is five hours away by plane, for a week-long training camp.

“They will have a pre-game training camp here,” Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) marketing head Edward Kho yesterday told The STAR.

Knott, who was accompanied by coach Rohsaan Griffin, will use the Nagasaki camp as the final stretch of her preparation as she shoots to breach the 23-second mark in the women’s 200 meters.

Knott’s best time is 23.01 seconds that earned her not only the gold medal in the 2019 Southeast Asian Games at the New Clark City in Capas, Tarlac but also the new meet and national records.

“I’m trying to get out of 23 (seconds), I no longer want to run 23s and if that’s 22.9 or better, I’ll take it because I’m tired of running 23s,” said Knott during her Sweden quarantine.

From Nagasaki, Knott, Griffin, Kho and PATAFA secretary-general Terry Capistrano will fly back to Tokyo on July 26.