The US Track and Field Team Trials have been a spectacle so far. With a plethora of the country’s top athletes vying for a spot in the national team for the upcoming Paris Olympics, the competition has been intense. And yet, 16-year-old Qunciy Wilson stole the show on all three days that he ran at the Hayward Field. After a promising display of talent in the first round and the semi-final of the men’s 400m race, Wilson failed to qualify for the national team. But his supporters are plenty.

The men’s 400m hurdles’ first round concluded only moments ago, and the 2020 Olympic gold medalist Rai Benjamin qualified for the final race scheduled for June 30. While he is one of the most promising stars to bring home gold from Paris, he seems to think the youngest competitor at this year’s Team Trials deserves a shot at glory himself.

In a post shared by Citius Mag on X a couple of hours ago, Benjamin can be heard talking about his mindset going into the first round of his event. While his iron will can be observed through his words, Quincy Wilson seems to be a dominant thought on the hurdle runner’s mind as well. “@QuincyWilson5 to Paris in the relay pool?@_Kingben_ says an emphatic YES!” reads the caption of the post.

“He deserves it. Kid came out here and ran 44 all 3 rounds. He deserves to be there, he deserves to be on the team,” Rai says in the interview, as he goes on to claim that it’s preposterous to take the opportunity away from the teenager.

Clocking 44.94 seconds, Wilson came sixth in the men’s 400m final race. While he did match the Olympic standard, failure to secure a top-three finish in the event resulted in the teen’s Paris dream coming to an end. However, given how the lead-up had been to the race, his case is strong to be on the team, as Benjamin vouches for.

Quincy Wilson has created quite a stir in the track community

In the 1st round of the race on the opening day of the Olympic Team Trials, Wilson finished the heats in second place with 44.66 seconds on the clock. His time broke the U18 record from 1982 set by Darrell Robinson. Only two days later at the semis, Wilson once again displayed his prowess in all its glory as he surpassed his own record to register a stunning 44.59 seconds. Even before the Team Trials, Quincy has been breaking records at his will as the New Balance Outdoor Internationals saw earlier this year. With all his feats in recent months, it was only natural that the Bullis High School student was looking to be the youngest member to carry the USA’s banner at the Paris Games.

However, this isn’t the end of the road for Wilson by any means. His stamina and resolute mindset have come to light on more than one occasion and his coach Joe Lee is a firm believer in what Quincy can achieve if he sets his mind to it. The athlete confessed that it was Lee’s vehement support and motivation that helped him to push the limits of what he could do. Now, while the Pari door closes, with stars like Noah Lyles and Rai expressing their faith in the young gun, it remains to be seen the heights the U18 world record holder achieves in the coming days.