Bianca Knight

Bianca Knight
Personal information
Nationality American
Born (1989-01-02) January 2, 1989
Pearl, Mississippi, U.S.
Height5 ft 3 in (160 cm)
Weight134 lb (61 kg)
Sport
SportRunning
Event(s)
100 meters, 200 meters
College teamUniversity of Texas
ClubAdidas
Medal record
Women's athletics
Representing the  United States
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place 2012 London 4 × 100 m relay
World Championships
Gold medal – first place 2011 Daegu 4 × 100 m relay
World Relay Championships
Gold medal – first place 2014 Nassau 4 × 200 m relay
Pan American Junior Championships
Gold medal – first place 2007 São Paulo 200 m
World Youth Championships
Gold medal – first place 2005 Marrakesh 100 m
Gold medal – first place 2005 Marrakesh Medley relay
Silver medal – second place 2005 Marrakesh 200 m

Bianca Knight (born January 2, 1989) is an American former track and field athlete who competed in the 100 and 200 meters.[1] At the 2012 Summer Olympics she won a team event gold medal in the 4 × 100 metres relay team.[1] In the final, the quartet of Tianna Madison, Allyson Felix, she and Carmelita Jeter broke a 27-year-old world record. She is currently an assistant track and field coach at Queens University of Charlotte and founder of the Bianca Knight Foundation.

Early life

Knight was born on January 2, 1989, in Pearl, Mississippi. She attended Pearl High School, but was kicked off the school track and field team after eighth grade. [2] This came after her times in the summer competing at the USATF Junior Olympics being better than her high school times. [2] Pearl High School coaches believed that Knight was not trying in high school, however Knight argued that the USATF competition brought out the best in her. [2]

Knight transferred to Ridgeland High School in Ridgeland, Mississippi, winning 15 individual state titles.[3] Including relays, Knight's 23 state titles puts her as one of the most decorated track and field athletes in Mississippi high school history.[3] She was named female Gatorade Athlete of the Year in track and field in 2006.[3] She is the first Mississippi native to win a Gatorade Athlete of the Year award.[4]

On February 17, 2007, Knight set the national indoor record in the 200 m at the Simplot Games in Pocatello, Idaho with a time of 22.97.[2] The record stood until February 2023, when Mia Brahe-Pedersen ran a 22.89 at the Don Kilby Invitational in Albuquerque, New Mexico.[5]

Knight attended the University of Texas, choosing the Longhorns over Kentucky, LSU and Southern California.[6] In her lone year for the Longhorns, Knight won the 2008 indoor NCAA 200 m championship in a collegiate-record time of 22.40.[2] The record stood for 12 years, with Kentucky sprinter Abby Steiner breaking the record with a time of 22.38 in 2021.

After one year competing for Texas, Knight became one of the first athletes in the U.S. to accept a professional contract after their freshman year. [2]

Professional career

Turning professional following her freshman indoor campaign, she finished 5th at the 2008 US Olympic Trials in the 200 m. She won second stage of IAAF Diamond League, in the 200 m, in Rome, Golden Gala.

Knight ran the first leg of the 4 x 100 metres relay at the 2011 World Championships in Athletics, in Daegu, South Korea, winning gold with Felix, Marshevet Myers and Jeter with a time of 41.56. [2]

Knight qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, joining Madison, Felix and Jeter in the 4 x 100 metres relay as the third leg. The team ran a 41.64 in the first round, qualifying for the final. The team's time of 40.82 in the final won gold and broke the world record, previously set by East German in 1983.[7]

Knight competed in the 4 x 200 metres relay at the 2014 IAAF World Relays in Nassau, Bahamas. [2] Alongside Shalonda Solomon, Tawanna Meadows and Kimberlyn Duncan, the U.S. took gold with a time of 1:29.45. [8]

Knight competed professionally for Adidas.

Personal life

Knight retired from track and field in 2016 to focus on her family.[2]

Knight is the founder of the Bianca Knight Foundation, which focuses on providing resources to young track and field athletes.[9] In 2021, Knight launched the BKTrackstars app, which offers advice and workout plans for track athletes. [10]

Knight is currently an assistant track and field coach at Queens University of Charlotte.[6] Joining the coaching staff in 2023, Knight serves as a sprints coach for the men's and women's teams.[6]

Knight is an honorary member of Sigma Gamma Rho sorority.

References

  1. ^ a b "Bianca KNIGHT | Profile | World Athletics". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Mull, Cory (February 22, 2021). "Behind Bianca Knight's Still Unbeatable 200m Nat. Record". MileSplitUSA. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  3. ^ a b c Flynn, Bryan (2012-07-27). "Bianca Knight". Mississippi Free Press. Retrieved 2026-04-12.
  4. ^ "2005 - 2006 Player of the Year National Girls Track & Field". Gatorade Player of the Year. April 12, 2026. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  5. ^ Streng, Nik (2023-02-11). "Lake Oswego's Mia Brahe-Pedersen sets national record for indoor 200-meter dash". oregonlive. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  6. ^ a b c Mull, Cory (September 20, 2023). "Twenty Years Ago, Track Recruiting Looked Markedly Different". MileSplitUSA. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  7. ^ "USA women storm to 4x100m crown - London 2012 - Athletics". Olympics.com. August 10, 2012. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  8. ^ "4x200 Metres Relay - women - senior - all". worldathletics.org. Retrieved 2026-04-28.
  9. ^ "Olympic gold medalist Bianca Knight holds clinic for local athletes". WJTV. January 20, 2019. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
  10. ^ "Olympic Gold Medalist Bianca Knight creates Track and Field app". WJTV. Jan. 30, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2026. {{cite web}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
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