Photo Credit: File Photo
Quincy Wilson, at just 16, is set to make history as the youngest-ever male U.S. track and field Olympian, having been named to Team USA's relay team for the 2024 Paris Olympics. On Monday, July 1, Wilson took to Instagram to share the exciting news, posting, "WE GOING TO THE OLYMPICS #paris2024 #teamusa" alongside a celebratory track photo. He followed up with the same image on his Instagram Stories, captioned "I'm an Olympian," and later posted a third image proudly donning his Team USA uniform.
Wilson secured his place on the team after an impressive performance at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon. Despite finishing sixth in the 400m dash final with a time of 44.94 seconds, he did not clinch an automatic berth for the individual 400m dash but was selected for the relay team. This achievement is notable for Wilson, a rising high school junior at the Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, who was born on January 8, 2008.
He surpasses the previous record held by 17-year-old Jim Ryun, who competed in 1964, and is the youngest U.S. track and field Olympian since Cindy Gilbert, who competed at 15 in the 1972 Munich Summer Olympics. Additionally, he surpasses Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, who was 16 during the 2016 Rio Olympics but turned 17 during the Games.
Wilson's record-breaking feats at the U.S. Olympic Trials further underscore his talent. He set two world records during his debut, first breaking a 42-year-old record in the under-18 400m dash with a 44.66-second heat in the quarterfinals on June 21. He then shattered his own time with a 44.59-second finish in the semifinals two days later.
Wilson's selection to the Olympic team is a remarkable milestone in his young career, marking the beginning of what promises to be an extraordinary journey in track and field.
