Trey Knight, a 2020 graduate of Ridgefield High School and a three-time Washington Gatorade Boys Athlete of the Year, will be competing in the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, in September.
He entered Ridgefield High School as the No. 1 shot put and discus thrower in the nation for his age as an eighth grader and went on to win multiple 2A state championships for shot put and discus. Knight even set a national hammer record of 261 feet, 7 inches, in his senior year of high school at a Super Thrower Track Club meet in Portland.
Knight started training for the hammer throw every day when he was 10 years old as his grandpa John Gambill, doubled as his coach. Knight’s rich family history in throwing events include his mother, Heather (Gambill) Knight, his aunt, Johanna (Gambill) Lawson, and his cousin, Jon Lawson, all being state champion throwers themselves.
Knight qualified for the 2025 track and field world championship with his personal best hammer throw of 78.76 meters (258.4 feet) at the USA Championships in Eugene, Oregon, in July. As for the world rankings, Knight sits at No. 21 in the world for the men’s hammer throw, just one of three Americans in the top 25.
His new career best throw came at a time where there was no other option but to do just that to qualify for worlds.
“Man, it felt great, amazing, like, just something I’ve dreamed about since being 10,” Knight said.
Knight added that the new career best on his final attempt was relieving and a sign of all the hard work he has put in. Knight finished his senior year of college at California State University Northridge and experienced a disappointing regionals, not qualifying for the NCAA championships. But he said to be able to bounce back and qualify for the world championships meant a lot.
Now, with his career in NCAA competition behind him, Knight said the rest of his summer until the world championships will involve a lot of training.
“We’re not going to do any more meets or anything but just kind of going back, getting some work under my belt to kind of load up here,” Knight said, adding that before the trip to Japan, the team will rest up and hopefully have a big rebound to be good physically ahead of what’s to come in Tokyo.
As Knight will embark on a journey in Tokyo with time to spare, he said he is looking forward to the food.
“I want to go try some sushi there, some, just, authentic Japanese food,” he said. “One of the training partners I have, she competes for Japan, and she just went over there for her nationals and everything, and every time she comes back she says how much better the food is. So I’m excited for the food, and also just like the whole experience of trying to take everything in my first worlds, just that atmosphere. So, I'm just excited for everything.”
After worlds is done, and with no college athletics after his senior year, Knight will continue working hard in the hammer throw as the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles are just a couple of years away.
“I’m for sure going to keep throwing through 2028 and try to make that Olympic team,” he said, adding that he will work at his craft of the hammer throw through at least 2028.
