“Everybody forgets he’s still in high school,” Coach Joe Lee laughed, right after Quincy Wilson lit up the track at the Ed Murphey Classic two weeks back. Quincy ran a jaw-dropping 44.10 in the 400m—yeah, you read that right—to smash the under-18 world best for the fourth time. And get this: he’s only 17, turned it back in January. What made it even crazier? He didn’t just win—he beat guys like Bryce Deadmon and Elija Godwin, both Olympic and World Championship relay medalists. Straight-up grown men, seasoned pros. So, how on earth is Quincy pulling this off at such a young age? Well, Coach Joe’s got some wild behind-the-scenes stories to tell…

Joe Lee’s version of Quincy Wilson? It’s not some superstar living the high life—it’s a kid who’s up at 6 a.m. catching the school bus, juggling homework, and yep, still doing chores at home. “Trust me, his mom will make sure them chores are done,” Coach Lee said, cracking up. “Or she’ll shut all this down.” Still, that same 17-year-old has an Olympic gold medal chilling in his locker and a stack of broken records with his name on them. And now? He’s gearing up for another monster challenge—this weekend’s USATF Nationals, where he’ll line up in the men’s 400m. It’s gonna be a showdown, with big names like Khaleb McRae and Jacory Patterson ready to throw down. The stakes? A podium finish could punch Quincy’s ticket to the Tokyo World Athletics Championships. No pressure, right?

On July 29, Quincy Wilson dropped a clip on Instagram with the caption, “focused. 🦊 #ustrials.” And honestly, it hit different. In the video, you can catch a raw, powerful moment between him and Coach Joe Lee. The coach, clearly locked in, looks Quincy dead in the eye and says: “I need you to go and overcome today. Because everything that has happened, it makes us stronger. You do this for you, you deserve it. Everything you’ve been through, everything you’ve fought through, you deserve this for you. You don’t do it for me, you don’t do it for anybody else, it’s yours. You do it for you.” Goosebumps. Coach Lee wasn’t just throwing out a pep talk—he meant every word. He wants Quincy to win for himself, not to prove anything to anyone else. Because it’s these kinds of battles, the ones that test you to your core, that end up defining careers. And yeah, there’s plenty of proof—some of the greatest athletes ever found their spark in moments just like this.

During that emotional pep talk, Coach Lee even name-dropped LeBron James and Lamar Jackson—two athletes known for showing up big when it matters most. And honestly, he’s right. Quincy’s got to bring that same fire if he wants to stand tall against a stacked 400m lineup. And in the second half of the clip, you could see Quincy was already locked in. He said, “It’s a blessing to come out here at 17 years old and do what I do. Stepping on track and finishing the race every time is a blessing.” No doubt—he’s focused, he’s humble, and he’s hungry. But the big question is: will that be enough? Because this ain’t just another race. The 400m at USATF Nationals is loaded with talent. Quincy’s facing grown men who’ve been here before. 

Quincy Wilson’s coach has some more mantras for his mentee

Heading into the men’s 400m at the USATF Nationals, Quincy Wilson’s name is on everyone’s radar—and for good reason. Only two guys in the field have faster entry times than the 17-year-old phenom: Khaleb McRae and Jacory Patterson. McRae blazed a 43.91 earlier this year at the Bob Vigars Classic in Canada, while Patterson clocked a 43.98 win at the Grand Slam Track meet in Miami. But don’t sleep on Christopher Bailey.

Bailey’s been straight-up world-class this season. The guy placed sixth in the 400m final at the Paris Olympics. And 2025? It’s been his year—USATF Indoor champ, World Indoor champ, Grand Slam Track Kingston winner, Diamond League victor in Shanghai, Racers Grand Prix champion in Jamaica. He’s not just a threat, he’s a standard.

Now, Quincy? His season hasn’t exactly followed a Cinderella script. Before the Ed Murphey Classic, his best was 45.27. He wasn’t dominating every meet, and he actually ended the high school season ranked tenth in the COROS MileSplit50. But here’s the twist—Wilson wasn’t peaking for high school glory. He had the USATF Championships circled in bold.

Coach Joe Lee’s been playing the long game—carefully ramping things up, knowing what really matters. And when the lights got bright at Ed Murphey, Quincy showed up and showed out, crushing a 44.10 and rewriting the U18 world record again.

So is it all about deep prep? Absolutely. But it’s also about mindset. When FloTrack asked Coach Lee what keeps Bullis producing stars, his answer was simple but powerful: “I think we continue by staying No. 1 Humble and No. 2 Hungry. We tell them, stay humble and stay hungry. Be happy but never satisfied.” That’s been Quincy’s fuel all season. Not headlines. Not rankings. Just quiet work and a deep belief that his moment would come. Now, with the nation’s best lined up beside him, we’re about to see what happens when humble meets hungry on the biggest stage.