The journey leading up to the 2024 Paris Olympics has been nothing but a whirlwind for Quincy Wilson. However, things seemed to be better once he set foot in the French capital. The 16-year-old became the youngest U.S. male athlete to contest in an Olympic track and field event. The wunderkind had the opportunity to run the first leg for Team USA in the men’s 4x400m relay heats in Stade de France – isn’t that exciting?

However, he didn’t compete during the finals, but the sprinter helped them qualify. When it was time for the finals, the quartet of Chris Bailey, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon, and Rai Benjamin surged past the finals to claim a shiny Olympic gold for the nation. With this, Wilson became the youngest male Olympic track and field gold medalist ever. But the 16-year-old almost missed out on etching his name in the history books. What went down?

Quincy Wilson’s narrowly missed a shot at debuting in the French capital

On an October 28 episode of The Gill Athletics Track and Field Connections Podcast, Bullis School’s head coach, Joe Lee, spills the beans on how things were post the U.S. Olympic Trials. The host, Mike Cunningham, asked what Quincy Wilson’s reaction was to the mixed 4x400m relay controversy, and his coach didn’t hold back. “It was very disappointing, and it impacted him in ways that we didn’t foresee,” Lee confessed.

Breaking records almost seems like a norm for the prodigy. In fact, he left many gobsmacked with his blistering 44.66 seconds during the 400m heats at the U.S. Olympic Trials. Not only did he win the first round, but he also shattered a 40-year-old high school boys record and the world U18 record. However, things went awry during the 400m finals. With 44.94 seconds on the clock, the 16-year-old had to settle for a sixth-place finish at Hayward Field.

The next few days went by in anticipation, hoping to hear about his contention in Paris. But to his dismay, it wasn’t good news. He would not be running in the mixed 4x400m relay. How did the wunderkind take the news? “When I told him he didn’t make it, he was upset. Not in a… in the most respectful way,” Joe Lee revealed.

Even though there was more to it, the coach reiterated that the conversation would remain private between them. So, what did they do next? “And then we said, we’re going to handle it. We’re team players. We’re going to do this the right way, and whatever they asked us to do, we’re going to do.” As disheartening as that was, the sprinter finally got to live out his full-circle moment by being an integral part of the 4x400m relay team. In the end, it all worked out for him. While he qualified for the French capital, the wunderkind didn’t want to rest. What did he do?

The 16-year-old continued running leading up to the Paris Olympics

It took longer than expected, but Quincy Wilson had finally earned the coveted spot on the relay team for the Paris Olympics. Despite already securing his ticket and not having anything to prove still, he shifted his focus to yet another competition—the Holloway Pro Classic in Gainesville, Florida. His coach, Joe Lee, decided to clear the air regarding this bizarre decision. According to him, it was all part of the plan.

They wanted to leave no stone unturned, and “that little joker left no doubt,” he playfully addressed the wunderkind. Contesting on the world’s biggest stage at such a young age can be daunting, and the 16-year-old wanted to ensure his confidence was at its peak. So, with just one week left for the Summer Games, all he wanted to do was contest in Florida. 

How did he fare, you ask? With a blistering 44.20 seconds on the clock, Quincy Wilson improved his U18 World Record in the 400m event for the third time in 2024. But his dreamy debut nearly crashed and burned when he almost caved into the pressure. Running the first leg in the 4x400m relay heats at Stade de France, he felt the race slip through his grasp when he had a delayed start.

Usually known for finishing with sub-45-second timings, the sprinter clocked 47.3 seconds instead. Distraught, the 16-year-old revealed what he thought of his performance in a post-race interview. “I knew I had a great three legs behind me. I knew it wasn’t just myself because by myself we would be in last place,” he confessed. Almost losing out on his dream debut definitely seemed to have crushed him. But should he have blamed himself for the near-miss?