Kristina Knott

Knott became part of the national athletics team of the Philippines after she established contact with the officials of the country's national athletics federation through her connection with fellow Filipino-American athletes.[1] She made her international debut for the Philippines at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta where she was the only Southeast Asian who qualified for the final of the 200 meters event. She finished sixth by recording a time of 23.51 seconds.[2]

Knott represented the Philippines at the 2019 Southeast Asian Games. At the heats of the 200-meter event she set a new Philippine national record set by finishing the race at 23.07 seconds.[1] She surpassed Zion Corrales Nelson's 23.16 seconds finish in Sacramento set on the same year.[3] This also broke the Southeast Asian Games record set by Supavadee Khawpeag in 2001 who clocked 23.30 seconds. Knott surpassed her own record by finishing at 23.01 seconds in the final[4] which secured her the women's 200 meters event gold medal. However the finish was still behind the Olympic qualifying time of 22.8 seconds. Knott also won a gold medal in the 4x100-meter mixed relay event and two silver medals in the women's 100-meter sprint and 4x100-meter relay.[5]

She was to compete at the 2020 Asian Indoor Athletics Championships[5] which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Knott broke the 33-year Philippine national record for the women's 100 meter dash set by Lydia de Vega at the 1987 Southeast Asian Games by clocking 11.27 seconds. Knott surpassed de Vega's record by .01 seconds during the 2020 Drake Blue Oval Showcase in Des Moines, Iowa.[6]

Knott grew up in the United States with her mother being a Filipino from Imus, Cavite, and her father a citizen of the United States. She volunteered herself to compete for the Philippines internationally in athletics as part of her efforts to connect with her Filipino heritage. She was a student of the University of Miami.[5]