USA Track & Field must submit its roster by July 7, at which time Wilsonβs spot will be official. If he runs in Paris, he would become the youngest male U.S. track and field Olympian in history. He would replace Arthur Newton, who was 17 when he competed in the steeplechase in 1900, according to U.S. Olympic historian Bill Mallon.
Wilson finished sixth in the 400-meter final Monday after a remarkable weekend in which he twice broke what had been a 42-year-old American record. He ran one lap around the Hayward Field track in 44.66 seconds in the opening round, 44.59 seconds in the semifinals and 44.94 seconds in the final, placing him among the fastest sprinters in the country before he even acquired a driverβs license. Quincy Hall won that race in 44.17, followed by Michael Norman (44.41) and Chris Bailey (44.42).
βAll I know is I gave everything that I had and then some,β Wilson said after the final. βI canβt go back and be disappointed. At the end of the day, Iβm 16 running grown-man times.β
Making the Olympics at 16 years old may have been a dream, but for Wilson itβs no fantasy.
βHeβs not a pro yet, although mentally heβs right there with the best of them,β Lee said during the trials. βHeβs not afraid when he comes in here. Heβs not intimidated. He believes he belongs because he does. We knew [faring well at the trials] was possible.β