Quincy Wilson, the 16-year-old who was the toast of the Olympic Trials after making the final of the 400 meters and finishing sixth in the race, made his Olympic debut on August 9 in Paris.
Wilson ran the opening leg of the U.S.’s 4x400-meter relay and split 47.27 seconds, well off his personal best of 44.20 he ran in July. He had the U.S. squad in last place after his leg.
Vernon Norwood, who is 32 (twice Wilson’s age), took the baton from Wilson and got the U.S. back in contention with his split of 43.54. Norwood handed off to Bryce Deadmon, who split 44.20. Christopher Bailey was the anchor leg (44.14) and got the U.S. into third, automatically qualifying for the final on August 10.
The U.S. is allowed to use a different lineup for the final and open 400-meter champion Quincy Hall is likely to be among the four carrying the baton.
After the race, Wilson said the experience “was amazing. I’m with a great team. I wasn’t feeling like myself but my team came out and did it for me.”
Norwood was seen consoling Wilson after the relay and he put a positive spin on it. “I’m super proud of him to come out here and show his grit for us.”
Wilson was asked why he wasn’t 100 percent and he replied, “It’s a lot of different things, so I’d rather not answer.”
Instead, Wilson focused on the crowd. “It was amazing,” he said. “They got me around the track.”
It seems safe to say that Wilson has a bright future ahead of him. He’ll only be 20 for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Sarah Lorge Butler is a writer and editor living in Eugene, Oregon, and her stories about the sport, its trends, and fascinating individuals have appeared in Runner’s World since 2005. She is the author of two popular fitness books, Run Your Butt Off! and Walk Your Butt Off!
