Is Quincy Wilson old enough to compete in the Olympics?

He is old enough to compete. (I think you just have to turn 16 by the end of the year, and I don't think there is any minimum age for male track athletes to compete at the US Trials). Sydney McLaughlin turned 17 just a week before her event at the 2016 Olympics, and Erriyon Knighton was also 17 in 2021, so it certainly would be an accomplishment for Quincy Wilson to qualify, even as a relay runner.

I'm not too informed with 400m U.S. men. What would his ranking be? How many do they send for the relay, 6?

Top 8 make the team. Basically, make the final and you are on the team - but whether or not they run you is up to the relay coaches.

Top 3 run individually

Normally top 4 are on the 4x400 with the next 2-3 guys in line as alternates for the rounds, but considering the best 400m runner in the US does the 400 hurdles that's gonna be different this year

Top 8 are all in the relay pool, with 5-7 being on the mixed 4x400 - usually the 8th guy is just there as backup. Happened to Shae Anderson in 2021, but you do get to say you are an Olympian.

Right now I think Quincy is top 10 in the US, maybe top 5. USA 400 isn't as strong now as it used to be, but I suspect that after this weekend he's gonna be ranked significantly higher. As to whether or not he makes the team, it comes down to if he can make it through the rounds or not. I don't think he can. The 400m at that level is a different beast, and Quincy is still 16. You need years upon years of aerobic, lactic, and muscle/strength development that he just doesn't have yet.

Also, those guys he races against - they have egos, and NONE of them want to be sent home by a 16 year old kid.

I think he'll be in good form thru the rounds. Last year he ran at the US U20s which was at the same time as the US Championships. Now there were only two rounds and he went 45.87 for his PR and then 46.12 in the final. This year to highlight his strength he split 44 twice in the same day at Penn Relays. He has already run 45.1 which is a big improvement from last year. To make the final and be eligible for the relay he'd really only need two good runs. The slowest prelim time last year was 45.98 and the slowest semi was 45.56(big Q, little q was 45.16). So he has a legitimate chance as long as the pressure doesn't get to him.

Do they send all 8? Three obvious go to run the 400m. For some reason, I recall 6 as the relay team ... from long ago. Anyway, if he is 7th or 8th and was sent, the experience of going would be the best "what I did on summer vacation" class report ever. A teenager's take on a hormone driven sporting event.

He will get blasted! He’s too small and his form is ragged. The next great US 400m runner still thinks he’s a 100m runner.

This is a great post and one which I completely agree with.

The only things I could foresee causing him to miss the Usatf final would be:

1) gets injured during season.

2) makes a mental error during rounds.

3) is very unlucky and gets a tough/fast semifinal draw.

As far as I understand they send all 8, but I could be wrong.

This may be a hot take, but I think it's far too early for Quincy to worry about the Olympics. He's only 16 years old, he's a young child and he has tons of room for growth, maturity, and learning.

We have to be careful calling these kids "phenoms" or "prodigies" because it can instill a lot of mental pressure.

By LA 2028, Quincy will be 20 years old. That will be the PERFECT time for him to start his Olympic career. I think that is way more realistic shot for him.

Kirani James was 19-20 years old when he won the 400 at London 2012 in 43.9

Quincy could very well follow suit

Great recap thank you. I assume that Georgia guy has a hot at top 3?

If I had a 100m PB of 9.76 I would also think I was a 100m runner.

nvm, Morales Williams is Canadian

I would love to see Quincy enter the Trials and place at least 4th in the finals.

Kiplimo competed at 15