EUGENE, Ore. — In case you were wondering, Quincy Wilson didn’t take advantage of the benefits of vibranium. However, his purple suit, inspired by the movie Black Panther, hints at some Wakanda abilities, especially after another jaw-dropping performance.
“No, it’s just me in there,” Wilson said, smiling that classic Cheshire smile.
His extraordinary abilities may not be attributed to a powerful fictional metal from Africa in the Marvel Universe. But there’s clearly something special about the 16-year-old from Maryland.
That was evident in Sunday’s men’s 400m semifinals. Bliss High School phenom Wilson stole the show with impressive results for his age. He ran 44.59 seconds in the 400 meters, the fastest time in the United States by a teenager 18 years or younger.
It’s a record of his own, as his 400-meter time on Saturday of 44.66 broke the 18-and-under record set in 1982 by Darrell Robinson of Tacoma, Wash.
He finished third in the heat, so he didn’t earn an automatic berth into Monday night’s finals. But with the fourth-best semifinal finish, he easily secured one of the nine spots. A top-three finish on Monday meant Wilson had to postpone driver training, and therefore his license, because he was traveling to Paris.
“When I got on the track, I had never been happier in my life,” Wilson said. “I’ve been working towards this moment. The record I broke two days ago… no one has broken it in 42 years. I broke it twice in two days.
16-year-old Quincy Wilson performed well in the 400m half! He has officially qualified for the finals. 👏#TrackFieldTrials24 pic.twitter.com/nL4Nj8m5BT
— NBC Sports (@NBCSports) June 24, 2024
What was unique about Wilson, besides his obvious talent, was the heart of a kid.
He was 5 feet 9 inches tall with adolescent muscles, making him appear small compared to the grown men around him. His form can be inconsistent, as you’d expect from a rising junior. His inexperience at this level gives his opponents a significant advantage.
But Wilson ran fearlessly. He emptied his tank and embraced the pain. He was confident enough to keep fighting. every meter. Each step. Every moment. He has a natural boldness. He was aware enough to understand this, to understand the history he was making, but he bore it with steel.
His heart filled Hayward Field on Sunday.
Bryce Deadmon height is 6 feet 3 inches and 27 years old. He is an Olympic champion, a world champion, a two-time national champion. He was on the inside of the teenager as they rounded the second bend. On Wilson’s other side was Vernon Norwood, a 6-foot-2 veteran pro who was winning an NCAA title when Wilson was knee-high.
“A 16-year-old,” Wilson said, assuming they are just mortal teenagers, “are most likely to be scared when they are[against]a strong competitor. Vernon (Norwood) is 32 years old. I’m 16 and half his age so I’m just running for my life.
Imagine the world he inhabits in June. By high school, he was unbeatable. He broke the record just by tying his shoes. He signed a zero contract with New Balance. He can run with confidence because he knows he is the best among his peers.
Then comes the final turn of 400 meters on Sunday. Going into the final 100 of the race, he was in fifth place. His storybook is coming to a heroic end. Because where did he get the faith to go up against so many accomplished veterans?
His first-round burst was impressive enough. The semi-finals were the reality check that was always going to come.
But Wilson pushed back against that idea. The young man did not admit defeat. He dug deeper. He remained attached. Whatever his game plan was, it was gone in that moment. The new plan was his voice.
Quincy Wilson (left) competes in Sunday’s 400m semifinals. He broke the age-group record he had set the day before and qualified for Monday’s final. (Christian Peterson/Getty Images)
He found more reserve than Virginia Tech’s Judson Lincoln and Florida State’s Yenoah McKeever.
“Keep calm,” Wilson told himself. “I didn’t leave the way I wanted to. But like my coach said, ‘The game starts at 300.’ “You look at Vernon’s interview. He said: “See you in 300 meters. ” Going from fifth to third, it means a lot. Because if you look at me, I’m not that strong. But it’s 100 percent sincere.
Monday is the most important final of his life. The stakes continue to escalate. If he enters the top three, his life may change even more than it does now.
This may sound like a daunting task. It feels like it’s too much to ask for. But looking at him means knowing it’s on the table. There was a force of will in Wilson, a reservoir to tap, a moment of comfort.
Later, he might talk about what he was doing with the excitement of a teenager drinking a Teen Mint after watching a good action movie. His smile widens when he talks about the love Noah Lyles and Shakari Richardson have for him, reminding you that he’s still an impressionable young man.
“Tomorrow I’m going to the biggest final in the world,” he said, eyes filled with exclamation points. “When I was 16! I’m just ecstatic now.
But on the track, he was far less innocent. He is a combination of tenacity and appreciation, work ethic and humility, awe and boldness. He was a high school superstar with the world at his fingertips. He is also the son of a military family that has lived in six states, a family of athletes who understand grind, sacrifice and focus.
“When I came off the track,” Wilson said after Sunday’s race, “my coach told me how proud he was of me. He told me what we had to do to break the game. He didn’t catch this For a moment, my side, I think I have great things going on (Monday) and I can’t wait (for the final).
Wilson said he also had a new set of gear on Monday. It’s not necessarily Wakanda inspired. He doesn’t need vibranium. He is already made of the right stuff.
deeper
Noah Lyles wins men’s 100m title at U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials
(Top photo of Quincy Wilson in Sunday’s 400m semifinals: Christian Peterson/Getty Images)
