Quincy Wilson was once the teen prodigy no one could catch. Until now! After storming onto the national track and field scene with record-breaking runs and the kind of confidence that made even seasoned pros take notice, the 17-year-old from Bullis School seemed unstoppable. With the weighty label of “track and field’s next big thing” thrown on his shoulders, expectations only grew louder. But in recent weeks, that shine has started to flicker. Is the young phenom simply hitting a temporary dip, or is it time to pump the brakes and let himself regroup?
His last stint at the Puma East Coast International Showcase in Landover, Maryland, further fanned the flames. Going into the boys’ 400m race as the heavy favorite, Wilson seemed on course to reign supreme in the face of stiff challenge by the likes of Andrew Salvodon (who did beat Wilson earlier this year at the VA Showcase). However, when the dust had settled, it was not Salvodon or Wilson who were at the top. It was Jayden Horton-Mims that stole the win. That was not a random slip, either. In the Pepsi Florida Relays, Wilson was outdone in the 4x400m anchor leg, unable to run down Tywan Cox (a football player!), who stole the race for Illinois. With two crushing defeats now in the past, there is a split in opinion among fans now.
Track and Field Coach Rob didn’t mince words in his latest YouTube breakdown of Quincy Wilson’s situation. Wilson’s early-season setbacks have sparked a wider conversation about the pressures he faces as a rising star. Coach Rob offered some insightful commentary, saying, “Wilson is running in an environment where he’s not just competing against high school athletes but also professionals at a young age.” Wilson’s runs at the USA Indoor Meet, Melrose Games, and the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix placed him in the rarefied air of professional-level competition, yet he’s still a high school student. “It’s a different kind of pressure,” Rob continued.
However, Coach Rob also reminded fans that Wilson’s setbacks shouldn’t be taken lightly. “Losing is part of the journey,” he noted. “But Quincy has to figure out what works for him. It’s easy to get caught up in expectations, and right now, it feels like the weight of the world is on his shoulders.” While Wilson’s athleticism and records speak for themselves, his recent struggles remind us that even the best can have off days. Wilson’s string of defeats has made it clear that 2025 has brought new challenges. One he might not have anticipated. A loss at the VA Showcase and Millrose Games raised eyebrows, but it was the stinging defeat at the Florida Relays that really made fans pause.
After a dream 2024, Quincy Wilson appeared undefeated. From shattering a world best U18 time in the 500m to winning Olympic gold in Paris to taking the fastest American 400m for the year at the Florida Relays, the high school sensation wasn’t just making a noise. He was changing the game. However, the year 2025 has been a different story. Wilson’s time at the Puma East Coast International Showcase, 45.24, was impressive, but it was not good enough to win against Horton-Mim. Although Wilson had earlier beaten Horton-Mims in previous races, this latest loss created further questions as to how exhaustion and pressure were affecting his performance.
A mix of concern and confidence about Quincy Wilson’s rollercoaster season
Despite jaw-dropping feats like anchoring Bullis to a national record in the 4x400m at Penn Relays and winning the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix with a blistering 45.66, Quincy Wilson’s recent setbacks have sparked fan debate. In the middle of the discourse? His unorthodox running form. “I’ve said it many times before and will say it again, that all over the place running style is a detriment to Quincy improving over the long haul,” one fan pointed out. “His form needs to change or he’s going to be stuck where he is now, dude needs to be coached on how to run with proper form.”
It is a spin that resembles what Justin Gatlin talked about in the Ready Set Go podcast. Although Gatlin did acknowledge that the style works for Quincy now, he emphasized that it’s all about evolution. “Doesn’t mean that it’s (form) not going to change in the future…” The form debate is not new, but the stakes seem to be higher now. And still, not all the supporters are screaming about the alarm. The other fan intervened by reminding us that this is still a teenager that is finding his feet. “Quincy ran a 45 in high school. Other kid also just ran a 45. Not every race is going to be a PR & he can’t win literally every race. There were only two races this season that he didn’t get first place in and that’s respectable.” In a sport where seconds write headlines, this view offered some needed levity.
In fact, many are still all-in on the long-term vision for Wilson, even if a few hurdles have shown up early in 2025. “Exposed where? He’s 16, he hasn’t even begun to approach his peak. He is the future of track and field. He will break multiple records.” It’s a sentiment backed by Wilson’s jaw-dropping highlight reel: from crushing a 1:50.44 in the 800m to outpacing rivals like Andrew Salvodon in the New Balance Indoor Championships with a 45.71 time.
Still, others believe a change of environment might be just what he needs to sustain his trajectory. “If he goes to Florida or Texas A&M he will be fine. They will work on his mechanics. He needs that next level coach…..” With elite college programs jostling to nab his signature, fans are imagining what Wilson could become under a new training system designed to polish to perfection the power he already has.
Yet there’s also a darker concern quietly circulating. “I saw this coming. Burnt out by his coach,” one fan wrote, hinting at the toll of juggling elite-level races year-round. It’s a reminder that even prodigies are still human. But if his past performances are any clue, Quincy Wilson isn’t just running toward greatness. He’s learning how to navigate everything that comes with it.
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