SLIP KNOTT: Fil-Am sprinter cops gold with sliding finish

CAPAS, Tarlac — A sudden downpour turned the track oval at the New Clark City Stadium here into a slippery wet hazard.

For Filipina-American sprinter Kristina Knott, it doesn’t matter.

In fact, it even added color and drama to her gold medal conquest in the women’s 200-meter event of the ICTSI Philippine Athletics Championships on a rainy Thursday evening.

Knott had the presence of mind to recover from a stumble just a few steps from the finish line by sliding with an outstretched right hand to clock in at 24.12 seconds.

Bruised, scratched and hurt on her left thigh, right elbow, and right hip, Knott still mustered to flash a wide smile as she headed to the medical area, assisted by two officials.

“Maybe I’m feeling the jet lag, but my legs were just having a hard time lifting at the finish line. So, I’m like, ‘Oh, hurry up, I’m there’ and I fell,” said Knott, who arrived in the country on Monday.

“And the rain doesn’t help. I fell and slid.”

The two-time Southeast Asian (SEA) Games gold medalist was well ahead of the eight-woman race when she slipped.

Knott’s quick thinking saved her from a repeat of her silver-medal finish in the 2019 SEA Games at the same venue.

She also stumbled to the finish line, yielding the mint to Lê Tú Chinh of Vietnam in the women’s 100m event.

“I know, there was a fall six years ago here. I fell in the 100m race here during the SEA Games,” Knott recalled.

“I got second place because of that fall.”

Knott attempts to complete a golden double in the women’s 100m event as of press time.

She is also scheduled to compete in the National Athletics Grand Prix 3 in Chongqing, China from 14 to 16 May, the Asian Athletics Championships in Gumi, South Korea from 27 to 31 May, the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo from 13 to 21 September, and the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand from 9 to 20 December.

“You know, it’s just dusting off some rust. But it’s a long season and we’re going all the way till December,” Knott said.

Meanwhile, Robyn Brown spoiled the three-peat bid of Lauren Hoffman with a golden finish in the women’s 400m hurdles.

She clocked in at 57.39 seconds and left Hoffman settling for silver with one minute and 0.20 seconds.

SEA Games gold medalist Janry Ubas dominated the men’s long jump after tallying 7.32m, while Filipino-Moroccan distance runner Yacine Guermali won in the men’s 5000m with a time of 14:35.99.

In the morning session of the second day Friday, Carlos de Imus won the men’s 10000m walk, crossing the finish line in 46:11.11.

Cindy Puerto of Team Pasig dominated the women’s U18 5000m walk with a 29:20.04 clocking.

Thrower William Morrison, triple jumper Ronnie Malipay and pole vaulters Hokett delos Santos and Elijah Cole are competing as of press time.