Teen phenom Quincy Wilson's Paris dream may not be over even after failing to make 400 final

It's now out of control for Quincy Wilson to become the youngest man to make the U.S. Olympic track and field team.

The fate of the 16-year-old track and field phenom lies in the hands of men's relay coach Mike Marsh and a USA Track & Field selection panel.

Wilson's captivating bid to claim an automatic berth to Paris ended Monday night when he finished outside the top three in the men's 400-meter final at the U.S. Olympic Trials. His time of 44.94 seconds placed him in sixth place, well behind winner Quincy Hall and fellow Olympic qualifiers Michael Norman and Chris Bailey.

Sprinting around the final turn at Hayward Field, Wilson trailed eight of America's fastest 400-meter runners, some of them seasoned professionals twice his age. Wilson chased down three of the men in front of him down the stretch, which wasn't bad for a kid who just finished his sophomore year of high school.

Wilson could still become a Paris Olympian if he is chosen for the USA Track & Field relay group once the trials are completed. The United States can bring up to seven runners in the men's 400 meters to Paris, with all three qualifying for the individual event, two eligible for the men's 4×400 meter relay and two more eligible to compete in the mixed relay.

In 2021, the top seven finishers in the 400m final at the trials were all part of the relay group. Eighth-ranked Will London was a backup in case anyone else was injured or unavailable.

That Wilson is in this position is remarkable considering he turned 16 in January and still doesn't have a driver's license. He is about a year younger than middle-distance runner Jim Ryun, who made the U.S. Olympic team in 1964 at 17 years and 137 days.

Wilson first gained attention in athletic circles after his family moved from Chesapeake, Virginia, to Gaithersburg, Maryland, so he could attend a private school known as an athletic powerhouse . The precocious young sprinter racked up trophies and broke national age group records as a freshman and sophomore at the Bullis School.

Last September, at just 15 years old, Wilson landed a NIL contract with New Balance. In April, he signed with WME Sports, the same agency that represents Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.

Despite his precocious talent and impressive high school credentials, Wilson arrived at last weekend's U.S. Olympic Trials as an afterthought. It was one thing for a rising high school student to systematically outdistance his classmates. It was a whole other challenge for Wilson to stand up to grown men.

As Wilson joked earlier this month during an appearance on the CITIUS MAG podcast: “I run with the big dogs. I need to put on my big boy boots.

These big boy boots sometimes looked like they were rocket-propelled.

In his Olympic trials debut last Friday night, Wilson broke a 42-year-old under-18 world record by winning his men's 400m in 44.66 seconds. That record stood for two days before Wilson lowered it again in the 400m semifinals, rallying after the final turn to clock 44.59 seconds and advance to Monday's final.

The buzz around Wilson reached a crescendo after these performances. Deion Sanders congratulated him on Twitter. Michael Johnson too. He went from his non-live preliminary series on NBC on Friday to a featured attraction on the network's show Monday night.

While the fairy tale ending would have seen Wilson place in the top three in the 400m final, his most likely ticket to Paris was still as a member of the relay group.

Wilson's driving test may have to wait.

The 16-year-old track and field phenom might be a little too busy this summer to prepare.