The track and field community took notice of Quincy Wilson in Boston a month ago. The 16-year-old competed at the New Balance Indoor Nationals. With his stellar performance, he clocked an impressive 45.76 seconds. The young wunderkind from Maryland did it yet again in the U.S. Olympic Trials. 

Wilson has been competing for a spot on the plane to Paris. Pitted against corps d’elite like Noah Lyles, Kenny Bednarek, and more. On Monday evening, the young athlete will be preparing for his last hurdle. After shattering a U18 world record in the heats and semis, he will now be competing in the 400m finals. However, Wilson shed some light on what helped his competitors qualify for the finals. 

Quincy Wilson’s reflections on the competition

Hayward Field has been the perfect backdrop for a thrilling competition for an exciting trial before the 2024 Paris Olympics. Quincy Williams stepped onto the track to compete for the coveted spot at the French capital. His stellar performance in the heats and semis has now led him to the finals happening on Monday evening. After his win in the semi, Wilson spoke to The Washington Post. It’s always better to know who you are up against, and this was his approach to the trials. 

He was up against elite runners like Vernon Norwood, Quincy Hall, and Michael Norman, and he wanted to gauge what his competitors were capable of. So, he studied the times each of them had previously clocked. Based on what he’d seen, he mentioned that his competitors had clocked their season-best at the Trials. “I pushed them today. Because they didn’t want to get beat by a 16-year-old,” he said. He believes his presence in the lineup pushed them to do better. 

Winston went into the race with a plan in mind, but with a slow start, that plan started to dwindle. By the final turn on the track, he made his way up to the fifth position. But that didn’t sway him. Towards the final 100-meter lap, he pulled through to the fourth position, trailing behind Hall, Norwood, and Deadmon. Wilson stated, “Vernon, he’s 32 years old. I’m half his age. I’m just running for my life when I’m out there. The race plan went out the window.” As he stepped off the track, his coach Joe Lee went straight to business, helping him prep for his last hurdle.

Wilson was excited to set foot in Hayward field again for the finals. “I can’t wait for tomorrow.” For him to be Paris-bound, he would have to finish in the top three. Wilson is confident that he will be able to do it. But, he’s already achieved an incredible feat before he even steps foot at the French capital. 

Shattering the U18 400m record in the U.S. Trials

Wilson left the crowd spellbound on the opening night at Hayward Field. His stunning time of 44.66 seconds in the 400m heats broke a long-standing U18 world record set by Darrell Robinson. The record had stayed untouched for 42 years until Wilson came along. He went on to the semis as the second-fasted qualifier in the 400m. But the 16-year-old didn’t just stop there. In a thrilling 400 semi-finals, Wilson breezed through to the finish line, clocking in 44.59 seconds. With yet another stellar performance, he broke the record again.

In a conversation with Olympic.com, Wilson said, “Forty-two years… that record stood for 42 years!” The young wunderkind was very pleased, as the crowds in the stands. He continues, “It means a lot to me to be able to break it. I’ve been staying longer after practices, coming in before practices… I’m just excited for myself.” Wilson’s previous performances have helped him climb through the ranks. But his record-breaking performance has catapulted him among the very athletes he is now competing against. 

As he prepares to step into the finals at the trials, Wilson is going to make sure the world takes notice. The possibility of him being Paris-bound is well within his reach. If he does, he will be the youngest U.S. member of the Olympic track team. But Wilson’s journey is still not done. Will Hayward Field witness Quincy Wilson beat his odds for a ticket to Paris? We will just have to wait and watch!