Who is Quincy Wilson? Meet the 16-year-old set to become youngest relay runner in USA history

Wilton Jackson

Who is Quincy Wilson? Meet the 16-year-old set to become youngest relay runner in USA history image

When Quincy Wilson takes the track, he leaves no doubt that he is on the verge of becoming one of the next greatest sprinters for Team USA.

All eyes were on the 16-year-old and his rapid rise to the international stage ahead of the 2024 Olympics in Paris.

At the U.S. Olympic track and field trials, he recorded a blistering 44.66 seconds — a time that was second only to fellow U.S. Olympian Quincy Hall — in the preliminaries of the under-18 boys' 400-meter race. He followed up that performance with a semifinal heat of 44.59 and a final outing where he clocked 44.94 to finish sixth overall.

Although Wilson didn’t win the 400 meters, his time was good enough for him to earn a spot in the U.S. men’s 4x400 relay pool. He is set to participate in the first round of the relay Friday in Paris.

When he takes the Olympic track at the Stade de France, he will become the youngest men's track and field athlete in U.S. Olympic history, eclipsing Arthur Newton (17), who represented Team USA in 1900 in Paris.

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Before Wilson’s jaw-dropping performances en route to Paris this year, the Maryland native was turning heads and captivating the eyeballs of many at various meets across the country.

Get to know the teenager who could become a driving force among track and field athletes in the United States for years to come.

How old is Quincy Wilson?

Wilson is 16. He was born on January 8, 2008.

MORE: How Quincy Hall surged from behind to win 400m gold

Where is Quincy Wilson from?

Wilson is from Chesapeake, Virginia. His parents, Monique and Roy, moved to Gaithersburg, Maryland, to allow him to attend Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland.

Quincy Wilson high school

Wilson attends Bullis School, an independent college prep school located in Potomac, Maryland, nearly 40 minutes from the nation’s capital.

Wilson captured an under-18 world record (45.76 seconds) for the indoor 400 meters at the 2024 New Balance Indoor Nationals in March. He also set a record at the outdoor rendition of the event, clocking 45.13.

USA OLYMPICS MEDAL COUNT: Overall table | U.S. medal trackerWho has won gold?

Quincy Wilson fastest times

2024

  • 1:01:27 (500 meters) at Virginia Showcase
  • 33.11 (300 meters) at Ocean Breeze Elite Invitational
  • 21.02 (200 meters) at East Coast Invitational
  • 1:17.36 (600 meters) at Millrose Games
  • 45.76 (400 meters) at the 2024 New Balance Indoor Nationals
  • 45.19 (400 meters) at Florida Relays
  • 45.13 (400 meters) at New Balance Outdoor Nationals
  • 44.59 (400 meters) at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials
  • 44.20 (400 meters) at the Holloway Pro Classic

2023

  • 46.67 (400 meters) at New Balance Nationals Indoor
  • 45.06 (400 meters) second place at Penn Relays

2022

  • 47.77 (400 meters) at AAU Junior Olympic Games 
  • 22.42 (200 meters) at AAU Junior Olympic Games

Wilton Jackson

Wilton Jackson Photo

Wilton Jackson II is an Olympics writer for The Sporting News. He has written for multiple platforms that include USA Today, The Clarion Ledger, Sports Illustrated, The Next Hoops and ESPN’s Andscape. He’s also a journalism professor and graduate of Southern Miss, LSU and Jackson State.