Down goes the U18 400m American and World Record
Shot By: Craig Strobeck, USA TODAY Sports
Most highschool sophomores are fighting to make the varsity team of their school. Quincy Wilson is fighting for a spot to represent his country on the USA Olympic team. The 16 year old phenom from Bullis High School in Maryland punched his ticket to the men's 400m final after breaking the under 18 American and world record.
Twice.
Friday, June 21 in round one of the Olympic trials Wilson put everyone on notice that he was among the best in the nation. The last 150 meters of this race proved to be all his, he had eaten up the stagger and closed the gap between the runner to his inside. By the last 75 meters his kick started pushing him to the front of the pack and a first place finish.
The clock read 44.66 seconds. History was rewritten after 42 years the American record had finally fallen. The world record had stood for about five years previously set by American sprinter Justin Robinson.
Shot By: Craig Strobeck, USA TODAY Sports
In the semifinals Wilson was up against a more competitive field but the speedster didn’t let that deter him. Drawing lane six he was sandwiched between Bryce Deadmon and Vernon Norwood, two olympians in the event.
Another crucial kick within the last 100 meters of this race gained a grand reaction from the crowd as he fought into third place and moved closer to the two leading. No surprise to the two in front of him being the olympians Deadmon and Norwood. Deadmon crossed the finish line first at 44.44 seconds and Norwood in second at 44.50 seconds but Wilson was the highlight still.
Wilson crossed the line at 44.59 breaking the world record again. It had been less than 48 hours since he previously broke the record and with that run he punched his ticket into the final.
The final took place on Monday June 24, he was officially slated to run against the eight fastest 400m runners in the U.S. That evening he took the track representing his school in a new uniform then he showed in the first two races. The heat had olympians like Michael Norman and Bryce Deadmon, also other high level pros looking to make their first olympics like Quincy Hall and Chris Bailey.
The race was blistering fast and ended with a tremendous kick by Hall to overtake former olympic champion Norman. Hall qualified for his first olympic team with a first place finish and a time of 44.17 seconds. Norman and Bailey filled in the next two spots with only a hundredth of second separating the two.
Wilson came through the line with a time of 44.94 seconds and finished as the sixth racer across the line. Finishing up a historical weekend the 16 year did nothing but impress the track and field world. From the countless interviews he had to the actual races himself he showed professionalism and maturity way past his age.
Shot By: Christian Petersen, Getty Images
Setting the track on fire he went under 45 seconds every single race at the Olympic trials. He put himself in position to be a part of the relay team for the USA so now he waits for the call back. Typically the fifth and sixth finishers get called to the relay as possible alternates.
If we don’t see Wilson in this year’s summer Olympics then we can definitely look forward to what's still to come. Four years from now Wilson will be a household name and favorite to represent the Country.
