Olympian Quincy Wilson Can’t Believe He Has to Go Back to High School After Winning 1st Gold Medal

Team USA runner Quincy Wilson already has his mind on his next milestone after the 2024 Paris Olympics : heading back to school.

“Dang, I really got school in 2 and a half weeks #Gold #OlympicGamesParis,” Wilson, 16, wrote via X on Saturday, August 10, alongside a selfie with his medal.

Wilson, who’s in the class of 2026 at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland, took home gold after his teammates competed in the 4x400-meter relay on Saturday, August 10.

While Wilson didn’t run on Saturday, he received a medal as a member of the team who ran in the heats. Wilson became the youngest male track and field athlete to participate in the Olympics when he helped the team qualify for the relay final on Friday, August 9.

Wilson shared the news that he was headed to Paris after his performance at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon, in June. He placed sixth in the 400-meter final with a time of 44.94 seconds, earning him a spot in the 4x400 relay pool in Paris.

“We goin’ to the Olympics,” he wrote at the time, alongside a pic of him raising his hands up after the race.

Wilson previously broke the under-18 world record in the 400-meter race with a time of 44.66 seconds in June. Days later, he set a new personal best and world record with a time of 44.59 seconds. (The record had previously been held by Darrell Robinson. )

After qualifying for Paris, Wilson reflected on his achievements. “All I know is I gave everything that I had and then some,” he said, per the Washington Post . “I can’t go back and be disappointed. At the end of the day, I’m 16 running grown-man times.”

The Best Photos From the 2024 Paris Olympics: Gabriel Medina Soaring and More Viral Moments

Wilson’s coach Joe Lee sang the teenager’s praises while speaking with the outlet. “He’s not a pro yet, although mentally he’s right there with the best of them,” Lee said during the trials. “He’s not afraid when he comes in here. He’s not intimidated. He believes he belongs because he does. We knew [faring well at the trials] was possible.”

In preparation for the games, Wilson opened up about his pre-race meal, which he has been eating since he began competing at the age of 8.

“I can say it’s a tradition,” he told FloTrack in June of eating waffles, eggs and bacon before a race. “That’s just the meal to go to. I mean, it’s not really the healthiest, but if it gets you around the track, good — then I’m gonna keep doing it.”