Teen track sensation Quincy Wilson is no stranger to making history this race season. From breaking the U18 world record in the men’s 400m to then breaking it again and again, everyone was rooting for the 16-year-old as he made it to be the youngest track and field male to make it to the Olympics.
While his individual journey to compete in the 400m was cut short after his sixth-place semifinal finish, Wilson was selected as part of the 4×400 relay pool.
Already making history whether or not he actually competed, he was able to kick things off for Team USA as part of the relay team to qualify the U.S. for the relay finals.
Wilson ran the first leg of the men’s 4×400 relay, passing the baton to join Vernon Norwood. Bryce Deadmon and Christopher Bailey also took a leg of the race, the U.S. finishing in third place.
The teen held his own among the world’s best male 400m runners but seemed to run out of gas right before the handoff. The U.S. was able to close the initial gap and secure their spot in the finals. The ability of Wilson to handle the pressure and perform as well as he did at just 16 years old shows that he does have an Olympian spirit.
The men’s 4×400 final took place on Saturday. The team consisted of Christopher Bailey, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon, and Rai Benjamin. The men set a new record with their 2:54.43 finish to win gold.
Even though Quincy Wilson did not run as part of the final relay team, his performance as part of the relay team in the semifinals means he also was awarded a gold medal.
Not only was Wilson the youngest male to compete in track and field at the 2024 Paris Olympics this summer, but he also made history–again—by being the youngest to win a medal.
Wilson took to his social media to celebrate his victory and showcase his new hardware, joking that he is heartbroken to have to return to school.
The Gatorade Player of the Year winner maintained an A average in school. He enters his junior year at Bullis School this fall.