Amid Ongoing College Visits, Quincy Wilson’s Fans Land in Heated Debate Over Track and Field Star’s Future: ‘Never Reached His Potential’

Quincy Wilson is the new talk of the town in track and field. The US athlete became the youngest track and field star ever to take home the Olympic gold medal at the mere age of 16. Since then, he has become a bona fide celebrity, making appearances in the NFL and hanging out with hip-hop mogul Jay Z.

However, as the dust settles on his victory, a major decision looms that could shape his career path. Should he pursue a professional career immediately after college, following in the footsteps of Noah Lyles and Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone? Or should he take the traditional route and compete at the NCAA level first? It appears Quincy Wilson is leaning toward the latter.

This has only increased fan speculations about his next move, as it is a very important step. While this debate has been going on for days, it has become a hot topic again in the track and field Reddit community after recent news. It started when a user named Ok-Procedure-8027 uploaded a post with a question. They asked, “Where do you think he’ll end up going?” Some wanted Quincy Wilson to still consider skipping college altogether and go pro instead.

According to them, this would give him more time to prepare for the LA Olympics. A user also quipped that he must not get lost under the lights of his newfound exposure and must keep his head down and work hard. Thus, the debate was quite intense. However, it seems like Quincy Wilson is headed toward the latter path.

This is because the athlete has been visiting numerous campuses all over the US in search of the right one. First, he visited the Texas A&M campus and did a photoshoot wearing their jersey. Apparently, he seems to like this option because of his admiration for Fred Kerley, who passed out from there.

However, he then visited the University of Georgia and did a photoshoot with them too, raising even more questions about his future. On both of these occasions, Quincy clarified that he hasn’t committed to any colleges yet. Thus, the fan’s debate still rages on.

Track and field community divided on Quincy Wilson’s next decision

One user said, “Hopefully not Georgia, regardless. Look at how Boling was run into the ground and never reached his potential.” Matthew Boling, a former University of Georgia track star, first gained widespread attention in 2019. While still in high school, he ran a 9.98-second 100m, breaking the high school record in all conditions. His remarkable junior career didn’t stop there—he went on to win the 100m and 200m events at the 2019 Pan American U20 Championships. These performances earned him the National Boys Track and Field Player of the Year award.

Instead of going pro, the athlete decided to join the University of Georgia for his NCAA career. He won two Division 1 Indoor Championships in the 200m there but couldn’t find much success in the NCAA Division 1 Championships, with his only victory being present in the relays. After college, his pro career hasn’t seemed to work out either, as he finished 9th and 14th in the 100m and 200m of the Olympics trials, respectively. Many believe that Georgia is responsible for this downturn in his career, and he should’ve chosen a better option. Another user felt that Quincy Wilson was doing all these photoshoots for a better pro contract.

They said, “Probably doing this for some sort of contract leverage. No reason not to go pro if he gets a good offer.” Quincy Wilson could take the pro route instead by signing a contract with a shoe company. This could present him the opportunity to prepare for the LA Olympics much better. He won’t be the first young athlete to do it either. Noah Lyles had committed to the University of Florida and was all set to represent the Gators.

However, the athlete decided to turn pro instead and signed a deal with Adidas. Looking at his records now, it definitely feels like he took the correct decision to hone his skills in a pro setting itself instead of a collegiate career. It has helped him bag three Olympic and seven World Championship medals. Thus, it is definitely one possible route for Quincy. However, another user felt that the NIL route was best for him.

They said, “NIL would be far better than pro. You’re talking about the LA Olympics when he has plenty of time left.” NIL (name, image, likeness) has given college athletes the opportunity to earn a lot more money now through brand deals and sponsorships. The highest-paid NIL athlete, football player Shedeur Sanders, currently earns $5.6 million through the program. Thus, Quincy can take advantage of this too and earn a good amount, which would not be present in a pro career right now. He also has plenty of time to prepare for the LA Olympics as it is four years down the line.

Another user made quite an interesting remark. They said, “I hope that he keeps his head on his shoulders and feet firmly on the ground. That 47.3 split should keep him grounded.” Quincy Wilson did win his first Olympic gold medal in Paris. However, he didn’t participate in the 4x400m final. His performance in the semi-final left a lot to desire, as his 47.3-second split was not good enough for Olympic level.

In fact, it was the slowest time on the team and a far cry from his personal best of 45.76 seconds. Therefore, Quincy must not get distracted by the fame he’s receiving and continue to work hard on his performance. If he does, he has the potential to become one of the best in the world. Regardless of his career decision, he should aim to reach that level to win another medal at the LA Olympics.