Imagine being just 16 years old and stepping onto the world’s biggest stage to represent your nation. Quincy Wilson didn’t just imagine it—he lived it. On August 9, the wunderkind made his Olympic debut in the 4x400m relay prelims at the iconic Stade de France. Teaming up with seasoned athletes like Bryce Deadmon, Vernon Norwood, and Christopher Bailey, Wilson had the immense pressure of leading off the relay on the vibrant purple track.

But the moment wasn’t without its challenges. A slow start saw the youngest American track and field athlete trailing in 7th place before passing the baton to Norwood. Despite the rocky beginning, the team clawed their way back, crossing the finish line in third place with a time of 2:59:15, securing their spot in the finals. Yet, for Wilson, the joy of advancing was tinged with disappointment—his own performance left him visibly underwhelmed, and he wasn’t selected to run in the final race.

Still, Olympic legends Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green see the bigger picture. They believe that, regardless of the outcome, this experience was invaluable for the young prodigy. But what makes them so certain? The answer lies in the lessons learned. Let’s know a bit more about this.

Quincy Wilson needed a dose of the real world

After turning heads at the U.S. Olympic Trials in June, Wilson’s fate at the Paris Olympics was hanging by the thread. However, he finally got to have his moment on the purple tracks during the prelims on Friday. On an August 15 episode of Ready Set Go, Gatlin and Green dissect the wunderkind’s performance in the French capital. “What are your thoughts on the young kid Quincy Wilson running on the 4×400 on the prelims?” Gatlin asked.

With a somber expression, Green states “I think he needed a taste of it, that gives him a splash of what the world is like.” If Wilson makes the decision to go pro, the Bahamian athlete believes that this will help him nurse his expectations. “Did he run up to the level that he usually runs to? No. Was there speculation that he got hurt earlier in training camp? Yes. Does it seem like it spilled over into his first leg? Was it his best? I think so. But I think getting the experience was definitely good for him.” They also picked up on the fact that the teenage prodigy wasn’t too happy with himself.

However, the 38-year-old pointed out one thing he noticed during his run. “But what I liked about him running the first leg and after, you know USA still ran them back uh the other guys ran them back into contention, and to qualify for the finals is they all rallied around him he did good.” He expressed how this is the kind of camaraderie you need more of in the sport. He continued, “My opinion is, I think it’s good for him to see what that is, so now as he enters the true pro world he would have been like ‘I know that’s a different animal.'” Gatlin nodded along, and agreed.

The American sprinter reiterated what Green said, “Shout out to all those guys on the 4x400m man. Y’all did an amazing job at supporting this young athlete who most likely will be, you know, one of the future stars of our sport.” While these veterans were extremely impressed by the wunderkind, it was evident Wilson didn’t feel the same way despite running a 47.30 seconds split off the blocks. What could possibly make him think otherwise?

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The 16-year-old believes Stade de France would’ve witnessed a different result

Quincy Wilson may have had a slow start on August 9, but Deadmon in the third leg brought Team USA to the fourth position and Bailey came in clutch in the last bend leading to their third place finish. Post his race, Wilson told Olympics.com, “This was a dream come true.” Even though the Maryland native claimed he didn’t have any pre-race jitters, he knew he could have done better. “I didn’t run my best, but I knew I had a great team on my hands. I wasn’t nervous, I was 100% myself.” While it doesn’t seem like he was disappointed in himself, he did open up about how he truly felt later.

ESPN’s Coley Harvey shared his candid reaction on X, “[The team] got me around the track today. I knew I had a great three legs behind me.” Wilson ran an under-18 world record of 44.59 seconds at the U.S. Olympics Trials, and his split in the prelims were three seconds over. “I knew it wasn’t just myself, because by myself we would be in last place.” The wunderkind didn’t get to run in the finals. But he did walk away with a gold medal.

Even though it seemed like a risky move for Wilson to start in the prelims, the quartet of Rai Benjamin, Vernon Norwood, Bryce Deadmon, and Christopher Bailey came in clutch in the finals. They set a new Olympic Record with a stellar time of 2:54:43 seconds, clinching an effortless win on the iconic purple tracks. Do you agree with what Justin Gatlin and Rodney Green had to say? Let us know in the comments.