Quincy Wilson made history by setting the new U18 400m world record and becoming the youngest American male to qualify for the Olympics. If the 400 relay pool member is selected to run for his team, he’ll also become the youngest U.S. male to compete for his nation in the Olympics. Yet, Wilson’s already impressive feats become even more impressive when you look at his stats.

The 16-year-old track and field phenom is 1.75 m (5’9″) and weighs slightly over 150 lbs. If you’re wondering why this is important, we need to look at the average height of Olympic sprinters. In 2016, the IOC released the height, weight, and birthdate database for 11,538 athletes who participated in the Rio Games.

Compiling the data revealed the average height of track and field athletes. The data revealed that the average Olympic sprinter’s height ranges from 1.80m to 1.90m (5’11” to 6’3″). Quincy Wilson is slightly disadvantaged because height often dictates a sprinter’s stride length. Those with a longer stride usually have an innate advantage over shorter sprinters.

While stride cadence is equally essential, it’s safe to say that the Chesapeake, Virginia, native is even more impressive for keeping up with senior and often taller sprinters. To put things into perspective, USA medal favorite Noah Lyles stands at 1.8m (5’11”). Lyles, Jamaican rival and the fastest 100m spirited in 2024, stands at 1.85m or a smidge above 6′.

Even Quincy Wilson’s coach, Joe Lee, spoke about his height during The Kevin Sheehan Show. The Bullis School track and field head coach said when Wilson first came to him, he was around 5’6″. However, now that Wilson has grown a few inches, records have fallen. At 16, Wilson has plenty of room for growth, literally. It’s also safe to say that the youngster is yet to reach his prime, as most track stars hit their primes in their early to mid-20s. However, talent and genetics aren’t the only things driving Wilson’s success.

Quincy Wilson’s humble origin

Monique Wilson got her son into racing at age five. She knew he had something special after Wilson beat older kids to the finish line. While the track star’s parents didn’t have careers in sports, they’ve done everything to support him. The Wilsons moved from Chesapeake to Potomac, Maryland, so their child could learn under Bullis School’s Joe Lee.

The talented coach who put the school’s track and field program on the map understood Wilson’s talent. However, he also understood that the young sprinter needed to work on technique. Lee told his protégé that running, like other skills, can be improved, and that’s all Quincy Wilson needed to hear. In just two years under Lee’s tutelage, the world record holder made it to the Olympics.

Now, the humble Maryland-based sprinter is ready to prove himself once more. “I can just say, everybody, Good luck! I’m ready to run, and I hope you guys are ready to run too,” Wilson told our Paris 2024 correspondent Shreya Verma. Now that you know all about Wilson’s advantages and disadvantages, are you ready to watch him compete against taller and bigger athletes?