Ridgeland sprinter Knight turns pro
Four-time Mississippi Miss Track and Field ends college career to focus on Olympics
Rod Walker • rwalker@clarionledger.com • March 19, 2008
Ask Bianca Knight about the biggest adjustment going from Ridgeland High to the University of Texas, and she'll give you this simple answer:
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"Balancing classwork and running."
Now, the 19-year old sprinter will have to get used to balancing a checkbook as well.
The Texas freshman has given up her collegiate eligibility to run professionally after signing Monday with agent Mark Wetmore of Boston-based Global Athletics & Marketing, Inc.
"The plan all along was for Bianca to run one year of college to get some experience running against collegiate runners and being away from home, and grow up a little bit," said mother Annie Knight, Bianca's mother. "She kinda exceeded expectations, so it wasn't really a reason to stay. In a small period of time, she left her mark in college."
The decision came less than a week after Knight won the 200 meter title at the NCAA Indoor Track and Field championships in a time of 22.4 seconds - the second fastest time ever by an American runner .
Knight plans to remain in school, but will forgo the NCAA's outdoor season to prepare for this summer's Olympics in Beijing. The Olympic Trials begin in June in Eugene, Ore.
"The plan is to make the Olympic team," said Knight. "That was the whole reason for me to come out. I didn't think my body was going to be able to take going through a conference championship and the national championship and then regroup in time for the Olympic Trials just a week-and-a-half later. I decided to come out so I can focus on the Olympic team."
Knight, named Mississippi's Miss Track and Field by The Clarion-Ledger an unprecedented four consecutive years, says her blazing time last week helped make her decision easy.
Knights' time of 22.4 is second only to three-time Olympic gold medalist Gwen Torrence (22.33 in 1996). She also replaced Olympian Sanya Richards' time of 22.49 at the top of the 200 in the UT record books.
"I decided right after the meet was over," said Knight. "I was surprised by how well I ran, but judging how everybody else ran I knew that is what is was going to take to win it."
Wetmore, who also represents Tyson Gay, Trell Kimmons of Coldwater and former Jackson State standout Michael Tinsley, will begin negotiating a deal for Knight. Track professionals make the bulk of their salaries from sponsorships from shoe companies.
According to Annie Knight, Nike and adidas are making their bids. Wetmore couldn't be reached via telephone, but responded through e-mail about the possible financial side of Knight's decision.
"Bianca is at the very beginning of a long and prosperous career," Wetmore said in an e-mail. "There will be plenty of time to think about the financial aspects."
Knight wouldn't say how much she expects to make. In 2003, Allyson Felix, a highly-touted 17-year-old sprinter from Los Angeles signed a six-year, six-figure contract with adidas,
"All I know is that I'm going to be OK," said Knight. "...Anybody can go back and look at all the articles from high school in The Clarion-Ledger or The Madison County Herald and at some point in the conversation, I always talked about turning pro. It's like a dream come true."
