Advertisement

Quincy Wilson, 16, becomes youngest men's Olympian in U.S. track history

July 1 (UPI) -- Teen track phenom Quincy Wilson was selected to represent Team USA at the 2024 Summer Games, he announced on social media. With the selection, the 16-year-old became the youngest U.S. men's track Olympian in history.

Wilson initially said he made the team Sunday on Instagram. His coach, Joe Lee, confirmed the selection Monday. USA Track and Field is expected to make an official announcement of the full team roster on July 8.

"I just started screaming around the house," Wilson told Fox 45 Baltimore, when asked about receiving the news Sunday night. "I was running around the house. I can't believe I'm even in this position. I couldn't even say three months ago I'd be in the position I'm in right now.

"It's like my hard work is paying off."

Wilson -- who attends Bullis School in Potomac, Md. -- finished sixth with a time of 44.94 in the men's 400-meter final at the U.S. Olympic trials on June 24 in Eugene, Ore., missing out on an automatic qualifying spot for the event in Paris.

Quincy Hall (44.17), Michael Norman (44.41) and Chris Bailey (44.42) led the event at the trials, earning tickets to the Summer Games.

Wilson broke the previous under-18 record -- set by Darrell Robinson (44.69) in 1982 -- twice in three days during the trials, with runs of 44.66 in the first round and 44.59 in the semifinals.

He will be the youngest men's or women's U.S. track Olympian since Cindy Gilbert, who was 15 at the 1972 Summer Games.

Wilson said he does not yet know if he will participate in the 4x400-meter men's relay or mixed relay at the 2024 Summer Games.

Olympic athletics -- track and field and marathons -- events will be held from Aug 1 through 11 in Paris. The men's 4x400-meter relay final will be Aug. 10 at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis.