By: Amelia Xiao

On June 21 in Eugene, Oregon, 16-year-old Quincy Wilson from Washington D.C., broke a 42 year old U-18 record. The record was set in 1982 by Darrell Robinson, with a time of 44.69 seconds.

Wilson finished with a time of 44.59 in the 400-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials. Quincy Wilson finished 6th in the overall event, and he will have the opportunity to receive an invite to be a part of the U.S. 4×400 relay team.

“I’ve never been this happy a day in my life when it comes to track,” Wilson said after running his incredible 44.59. “I’ve been working for this moment. That record I broke two days ago, that’s 42 years of nobody being able to break that record. I broke it twice in two days. It means a lot to me, because it means the hard work is paying off.”

Running against Vernon Norwood (32) who is twice his age, he has gained the respect of many other runners. “A 16-year-old is going out here competing like a true competitor,” Norman said. “He’s not letting the moment get too big. He’s living in the moment and competing, so it’s great to see young talents like himself elevate, push us to run a little bit faster and take us out of our comfort zone. He has a bright future in front of him as long as he stays grounded and focused.”