Quincy Wilson is only 17, but he’s been racing like a seasoned pro. In 2024, he broke the U18 world record in the 400m twice, earned a spot on Team USA, and won Olympic gold in the 4×400m relay, becoming the youngest male U.S. track and field Olympic champion in history. This year, he defended his indoor 400 m title with a meet-record 45.71 s at New Balance Nationals, anchored his school relay team to a national record, and continued to rack up victories. But after his latest triumph at the Ed Murphey Classic, it wasn’t Quincy who took the victory moment. It was his coach. And the reason? Well…

On July 12, at the Ed Murphey Classic in Memphis—a meet known for spotlighting elite and upcoming talent—Wilson stepped onto the track for another showdown, and once again, he delivered. “I went out there and shot out like a bullet, ” this is what Wilson had to say of his race at the Ed Murphey Classic. The 17-year-old took his mark in lane number 5, and as soon as the bullet crackled through the silence, the audience and spectators witnessed the speed demon Wilson is. The Olympian easily went past his opponents, with the only competition coming from Bryce Deadmon in the final few stretches. “He’s coming on a home stretch with Bryce Deadmon. We’ll see if he can hold him off. Wilson and Deadmon digging for the line,” announced the commentator.

The very next moment, he was screaming as he said, “The 17-year-old Quincy Wilson holds Deadmon off and Quincy Wilson’s the winner! 44-14 unofficially. He breaks his own world U18 record.” In 2024, Quincy Wilson broke the U-18 400 m world record three times: 44.66s at the U.S. Olympic Trials heats, 44.59s in the semifinals, and 44.20s at the Holloway Pro Classic. Now he did it again. Wilson recorded a time of 44.10s in the 400m at the Ed Murphey Classic on July 12. Bryce Deadmon came 2nd in 44.39s.

The Ed Murphey Classic traditionally hands out champagne to its winners. But at just 17, Quincy Wilson is well below the U.S. legal drinking age of 21, as set by the National Minimum Drinking Age Act of 1984. So when Wilson crossed the finish line victorious, it was his coach, Joe Lee, who stepped in to accept the celebratory bottle. And staying true to tradition, Lee popped the cork and sprayed the champagne on Wilson’s behalf.

Joe Lee has been the Bullis School’s head track coach since around 2013. Under his leadership, Bullis has grown into a national powerhouse. From motivating his athletes for National indoors or producing Olympic gold medalists like Wilson and Masai Russell. Masai, a hurdling phenom turned global medalist, is another testament to Lee’s ability to shape raw talent into world-class athletes. But how does he do that? The answer is simple–trust!

Quincy Wilson and Joe Lee’s trust

In January 2025, Quincy Wilson gave an interview where he confessed, “I feel like me and Coach Lee’s relationship has definitely grown. When I first came into high school, I wasn’t as mature as I am now. I probably didn’t listen to his race plans. I feel like he stays up every night studying different things for me and for the team.” And likewise, Lee has often praised Wilson. When did it hit Lee that Wilson was a special talent?

2023 New Balance Nationals Indoor, where the freshman beat the odds and his opponents. On the Kevin Sheehan Show, he said, “The guy to beat was the number two all-time in high school. He was a senior, and he’d run like 46.02s, which is super fast indoors for anybody, let alone a high schooler.” But only if Quincy were a regular high schooler. Freshman Quincy Wilson stunned everyone, clinching the 400 m title with a breakout time of 46.67s. “The crowd goes crazy. Quincy Wilson, the freshman, beats the seniors,” Joe Lee told Kevin Sheehan.

Lee even called the Olympian a  Joker as well, and that too while praising him for his performance. Despite making it to the Olympic relay pool, Wilson and coach Joe Lee decided to compete ahead of Paris 2024. Later, Lee explained, “Hey, we went to Florida on purpose. We didn’t have to go because he already made the team, right? So we wanted to leave no doubt. And that Little Joker left no doubt.” What did he do? On July 19, 2024, at the Holloway Pro Classic held within the Florida Relays, Wilson exploded to a blistering 44.20 s in the 400 m, smashing his Under‑18 world best and nearly matching elite open times. And finally, the ‘Little Joker’ may be the one crossing the line first, but it’s his coach who stole the show in Memphis