Quincy Wilson is all over the headlines and for good reason. After all, to become the youngest track and field athlete to ever win an Olympic gold is no small feat! The teen is kind of a rockstar himself. He broke the 400m u18 world record of 44.69 set by Darrell Robinson in 1982 not once but twice in the Olympic trials held in June 2024 in Oregon. In the first round, the track and field prodigy clocked in at 44.66, and then in the semis, he did the unthinkable by finishing at 44.59, not only shattering Robinson’s 42-year-old record all over again, but also his own in the process. If you think he was done, think again!

The Virginia native currently holds the U18 400m record and none of the above feats got him the honor. Being the track and field sensation that he is, he went on to (yet again), break his record in July 2024 at the Puma American Track League Holloway Pro Classic held in Gainesville Florida. He clocked in at 44.20 to create history. At the Olympics too, his performance was everything extraordinary. His participation in the heats ahead of the 4×400 relay event finale at the Paris Olympics played a crucial role in the country’s gold medal win at the Stade de France. Moreover, apart from his on-track success, this 17-year-old record holder is quite phenomenal off the track too.

Wilson is a class apart from the rest and he is proving that every day. At just 15 years old, he became one of the youngest high school athletes to sign a major NIL deal, partnering with New Balance.  Yesterday, New Balance posted a striking Instagram photo of Quincy Wilson showcasing a blurred NB product, captioned, “Wanted by many, earned by few.” 

The major endorsement came as Wilson tried to navigate an intense battle among top collegiate programs. Many schools like Texas A&M, Georgia, Texas Tech, Tennessee, and Florida are all vying for his commitment, given their strong track and field legacies. However, Wilson remains focused on finding a college that aligns with his values and scopes beyond scholarships and athletic prestige.

While speaking to Citius Magazine, he shared, “I’m looking for a coach who can coach me, a great academic program, a great athletics program, and a team I can bond with—just like my high school team. Anything that my high school team has, I’m hoping that correlates with my college team.” With an Olympic Gold, NIL deal, and elite-level recruitment, Wilson faces a pivotal decision. Will he choose a top-tier collegiate track program or turn professional before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics? Regardless of his choice, his bright future is certain!

Balancing his 4.0 GPA with an elite athletics career, Quincy Wilson is proving that greatness isn’t just about talent—it’s about discipline, vision, and relentless ambition. This became clear when he broke his 400-meter high school national record.

Quincy Wilson breaks his own 400-meter high school national record

Seventeen-year-old 4×400-meter relay Olympic champion Quincy Wilson once again showed the world why he is called the fastest youngster in the world. He proved it at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix where the young prodigy kicked off his 400m season in a spectacular fashion clocking 45.66 seconds and finishing tenth of a second faster than his previous high school national record.

Wilson executed a smart and tactical race against seasoned veterans like Jereem Richards and Zakithi Nene by surging past them in the final 70 meters. Adidas athlete Will Sumner, who famously turned professional after his freshman year at the University of Georgia, placed second behind Wilson in the race. Quincy Wilson wasn’t the only high school star to make history in Boston. Eighteen-year-old Sadie Engelhardt finished seventh in the mile, posting an impressive 4:29.34—making it the second-fastest indoor high school mile of all time.

With another record-breaking performance under his belt, Wilson continues to solidify his place as one of the most promising young talents in track and field.