Quincy Wilson Becomes Youngest Male Olympic Track And Field Gold Medalist

Quincy Wilson has done it.

During the Paris Olympics, 16-year-old Quincy Wilson ran the opening leg of Round 1 for the U.S. 4x400-meter relay last Friday. This feat made him the youngest male U.S. track Olympian, surpassing middle-distance runner Rim Ryun, who was 17 at the 1964 Olympics, according to NBC News.

Wilson also made history as the youngest male Olympic track and field gold medalist on the U.S. 4x400-meter relay team, alongside Chris Bailey, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon, and Rai Benjamin. The team clinched gold on Saturday. Although Wilson did not compete in the final, his contributions in the first round were crucial in securing the team's victory, earning him a medal.

In Friday's race, Wilson placed seventh, three seconds behind the leaders. Despite this, Team USA remained composed, buoyed by strong performances from other runners, which propelled them to a third-place finish in Saturday's final.

Wilson said he wasn’t healthy though.

“I knew I had a great three legs behind me,” Wilson said. “I knew it wasn’t just myself, because by myself we would be in last place.”

Wilson passed the baton to his teammate Norwood, who ran a 43.54-second leg, bringing the U.S. team back into contention. Norwood expressed his pride in the performance.

“I was kind of in the moment because I’m watching a 16-year-old running the Olympics — Olympics history,” Norwood said.

Still, Wilson’s presence was sensational given what it took, including the strength and endurance required by his chosen event.

Wilson, standing at 5'9", had already showcased his prowess in the 400 meters, dominating against his high school peers at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland. His stunning performance continued at the U.S. Track and Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, where he ran sub-45-second 400 meters in three consecutive rounds, ultimately finishing sixth in the final.

On July 18, he set a new Under-18 world record with a time of 44.20, surpassing a field of professional athletes. This time is the 11th fastest in the world this season and the fourth fastest by an American. Remarkably, his record time would have placed him sixth in the Olympic 400-meter final held that Wednesday.