Teen star Quincy Wilson, now officially the youngest ever male track Olympian for Team USA, ran his first race on Friday after competing in the men’s 4×400 meter relay qualifier at the Paris Olympics.
The 16-year-old was the leadoff runner in the relay and started off with a kick of energy before trailing and dropping to seventh place. He then handed over the baton to teammate Vernon Norwood, who passed it on to Bryce Deadmon and then onto Christopher Bailey.
Despite Wilson’s rocky debut, the Americans finished third and advanced to Saturday’s 4×400 final after posting a time of 2:59:15.
Following the race, Wilson said on social media that he was “thankful for the moment.” He told Olympics.com that the experience was a “dream come true” and said that he didn’t have any pre-race jitters.
“I didn’t run my best, but I knew I had a great team on my hands,” Wilson said.
It remains unclear if Wilson will be part of the final. He could get replaced by star Quincy Hall, who had a dramatic finish when he passed three runners en route for Olympic gold in the men’s 400 meters.
However, if Team USA gets a top three finish in the final, Wilson would still get a medal. Olympics historian Bill Mallon told CBS News he’d be the youngest American male track athlete to get one if he does.
Before the teen phenom arrived in Paris, Wilson beat the world’s under-18 400-meter record twice at the U.S. trials – surpassing his own record in the semifinal on June 23 and breaking the record two days earlier.
Wilson, a rising high school junior from Potomac, Maryland, has yet to haget ve his own driver’s license, but he already has his own deal with New Balance, who signed him last year.
