Quincy Wilson, 16, narrowly escaped a nightmare Friday in a disastrous Olympics debut.
In the first round of the 4×400-meter relay, he ran the opening leg and finished with an underwhelming time of 47.27 seconds.
When Wilson handed the baton off to Vernon Norwood, Team USA was in seventh place.
The two-time defending champions needed somewhat of a miracle.
“They got me around the track,” Wilson said of his teammates, as reported by ESPN.
“My grit and determination got me around the track. I knew I had a great three legs behind me. I knew it wasn’t just myself [Friday], because if it was myself, we would be in last place.”
Norwood, who is twice Wilson’s age, took the baton before surging into fourth place.
In that timeframe, he realized Wilson had become the youngest American male to compete in track at the Olympics.
“Honestly, I was kind of in the moment, because I’m watching a 16-year-old run an Olympics, making history,” Norwood said.
According to Olympic historian Bill Mallon, Wilson eclipsed Arthur Newton, who competed as a steeplechase runner at 17 in the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.
“So I was very proud of him, and I’m just looking at him like, ‘Oh, snap back in and let me get this thing going,’” Norwood added.
Bryce Deadmon kept a steady third-leg pace, which told Christopher Bailey he had to “get out there and go.”
The sight of a spot in the finals was just ahead.
“There’s nothing else I can better focus on than just executing my race and focusing on my ability, I know what I can and can’t do,” Bailey said.
The star-studded runner gave his squad and fans exactly what they needed, a time of 44.14 seconds — good enough to clinch third place and a spot in the finals Saturday.
Ahead of the 2024 Olympics, Wilson caught the eyes of many due to some stunning showings.
During the U.S. Olympic trials in June, the emerging star broke two under-18 world records in the 400-meter, clocking times of 44.6 and 44.59 seconds.
Wilson shocked the world again a week ahead of the opening ceremony, running an astonishing 44.20-second 400-meter race.
