Key highlights
16-year-old Quincy Wilson runs 44.94s at the US Olympic Trials 400m final and finishes 6th!
He may still represent the US at the Paris 2024 Olympics in the 4x400m
Wilson will become the youngest US man to run the 4x400m at the Olympics since Ed Ablowich did it in 1932 at 19
Quincy Wilson’s Stellar Performance
Quincy Wilson, a 16-year-old from Bullis School near Washington D.C., placed sixth in the 400-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials with a time of 44.94 seconds. Quincy Hall secured first place at 44.17 seconds, with Michael Norman (44.41) and Chris Bailey (44.42) also earning spots on the team heading to Paris.
Quincy Wilson may still join the U.S. 4×400 relay team in Paris
Although Wilson did not qualify for the individual team, he may still join the U.S. 4×400 relay team. His weekend was highlighted by breaking and then surpassing the under-18 world record that had stood for 42 years. “I’ve never been this happy a day in my life when it comes to track,” Wilson said after clocking 44.59 seconds in the semifinals. “That record I broke two days ago, that’s 42 years of nobody being able to break that record. I broke it twice in two days.”
Competing among the best
Wilson, who recently finished his sophomore year of high school, competed against some of the world’s fastest runners, including 32-year-old Vernon Norwood and 26-year-old Michael Norman, who finished fifth in the Tokyo Games. Norman praised Wilson’s performances as “spectacular,” saying, “A 16-year-old is going out here competing like a true competitor. He’s not letting the moment get too big. He’s living in the moment and competing.”
In the semifinals, Wilson faced significant challenges. He was in fifth place at the final turn and had to make a strong push down the stretch. “Stay calm,” he told himself. “I didn’t get out the way that I wanted to, but like my coach said, the race starts at 300. Coming up from fifth to third, it means a lot. If you look at me, I’m not as strong, so it’s 100% heart inside.”
A bright future ahead
Wilson’s extraordinary achievements at such a young age have garnered admiration and anticipation for his future in track and field. “He has a bright future in front of him as long as he stays grounded and focused,” Norman added. Wilson’s journey is just beginning, and the track world will be watching closely.