At just 16 years old, Quincy Wilson has made history as the youngest American track and field athlete to compete in the Olympics. A month ago, he impressed at the U.S. Olympic track trials by holding his own in the 400 meters against seasoned athletes. On Friday, he took his place on the Olympic stage, starting the 4×400-meter relay for Team USA. Despite a slow start that left him lagging behind the competition, Wilson’s relay team secured a spot in the finals with a third-place finish in their heat and a time of 2:59.15. 

Following the race, Coley Harvey of ESPN shared Wilson’s candid reaction on X. “(The team) got me around the track today,” Wilson said. “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.” The U.S. can replace Wilson in the finals with a more experienced sprinter, a common practice to keep veteran legs fresh for other races. However, Quincy Wilson will still receive a medal if the team finishes on the podium. Although Wilson isn’t the youngest member of the entire American delegation in France—gymnast Hezly Rivera holds that title—he’s close.

Chris Chavez, founder of CitiusMag, posted on X, highlighting the support Quincy Wilson is receiving from his Team USA teammates. Masai Russell, the U.S. 100m hurdles champion who also attended Bullis School in Maryland and shares a close friendship with Wilson, expressed her excitement, “It means everything,” Russell said. “I told him when I was 16 I wasn’t thinking about the Olympics. I was probably somewhere eating some ice cream. I was running track still but this level is crazy. It’s still crazy to me and I’m 24 years old and I’ve been doing this much longer than him. The fact that he’s on this stage, this is not the last time you see him on this stage.”

Team USA added their support on X, saying, “The future is bright 🤩✨ #ParisOlympics.” Wilson later shared his gratitude on X, posting, “Thankful for the moment! #TeamUSA.” His words reflected the pride and emotion of representing his country on such a significant stage. But despite the encouragement, the decision to select the 16-year-old at the last minute left some questioning. The veteran teammates of Quincy Wilson might now regret that decision, as the teenage runner’s missed opportunity caused Team USA, typically dominant in this field, to finish second to last. “I wasn’t 100% myself, but my team came out here and did it for me,” Wilson said to AP News.

Though the experienced runners made up for the delay and managed to get Team USA to the final stage, it raises the question—was the risk worth it? With his track record and early achievements, Quincy Wilson’s future looks bright as he continues to grow on the world stage.

Quincy Wilson’s track record and early achievements, along with future prospects

Quincy Wilson started his athletic career as an 8-year-old when his family shifted from Virginia to Maryland. As a 14-year-old, he won his first big victory in August 2022 at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. He finished the 400m race in 47.77 seconds. In 2023, the newcomer steals the New Balance Nationals Indoor title in 400 meters with 46.67 seconds. In March 2024, he retained his title by finishing the 400 meters in 45.76 seconds, breaking his records.

With this record time, he would have been getting the fourth position in the 2024 World Athletics Indoor Championships if participated. On July 19, just before the Paris Olympics, Wilson achieved his best in 400 meters with 44.20 seconds at the Holloway Pro Classic. Surely, the one-after-one break of these personal records plays a massive role in the selection of this youngest sprinter in the history of the Olympics. He even ended his first leg in 47.3 seconds, leaving a sharp delay of 3 seconds compared to his competitors, Letsile Tebogo and Wilson. The other members, including Bailey, Deadmon, and Norwood, finished the relay in a total of 59.15 seconds. With his steps in the Olympic arena of 2024, Quincy broke the 128-year record of Bill Mallon, who debuted in 1904 at the age of 17.

Watching him run was surely a delight even for his teammates, as LSU’s Vernon Norwood says, “I’m watching a 16-year-old running in the Olympics, making history,” However, entering the track and field just by the age of 16 is something to cherish. It may take another 100 years to break this record, so the teenager needs to buckle up for the upcoming races instead of regretting it. The world is widely accepting the efforts of this debut record-breaker. More is to come in recent years or maybe in recent matches. What do you think? Feel free to share.