Paris Olympics 2024: 16 years old, still a high school student, American prodigy Quincy Wilson on the verge of qualifying in the 400m

La piste du Stade de France, bientôt transformée en piste aux étoiles. France Info – Clara Lecoq Reale

Le jeune phénomène du 400 m Wilson est en finale des sélections US, avec un nouveau record à la clé. 

The young Quincy Wilson, a 16-year-old high school student, created a sensation by qualifying for the 400 m final of the American Olympic trials with a time of 44 sec 59 Sunday in Eugene, Oregon ).

Wilson ran the lap in 44 sec 59, once again beating the best world performance of all time among cadets (under 18), after his 44 sec 66 achieved in the heats on Friday.

Qualif' for the Games in sight

Wilson, who attends the Bullis School in Maryland, near Washington DC, took 3rd place in his semi-final but set the 4th fastest time of all entrants. He will have to finish in the top three in the final on Monday to hope for individual qualification for the Paris Olympic Games (July 26 & August 11).

A top-6 would ensure selection for the 4×400 m relay. The 2022 world champion Michael Norman will be present in the final, as will Quincy Hall, Bryce Deadmon and Vernon Norwood.

The women's 400m final was won by Kendall Ellis (49.46), Olympic champion in the 4x400m relay in Tokyo in 2021, ahead of Aaliyah Butler (49.71) and Alexis Holmes ( 49.78).