By the headline, you're probably thinking that I'm delusional but my notion is simple - Quincy Wilson is not an underdog anymore.

Quincy Wilson will race the 400m at the USA Track and Field Championships this week. The first round of the 400m is scheduled for Thursday at 7:30 PM ET.

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Quincy Wilson finished sixth at last year's US Olympic Trials - behind Quincy Hall, Michael Norman, Christopher Bailey, Vernon Norwood and Bryce Deadmon. However this year, Quincy Hall and Michael Norman are both notable absences - which leaves Bailey, Norwood and Deadmon as the top returners.

What if I told you that out of that bunch, Quincy Wilson has the fastest personal best? His 44.10 World U18 Record, ties Vernon Norwood's personal best from last year's London Diamond League meeting.

Christopher Bailey ran 44.15 at this year's Pre Classic and Bryce Deadmon's 44.22 is from his 2023 US Championship winning run.

When Quincy Wilson ran 44.10 at the Ed Murphey Classic two weeks ago, one thing became very clear. We have to stop looking at Quincy Wilson as a high schooler... he is a contender.

Wilson Has The Third Fastest Entry

Only two runners have a faster entry than Quincy Wilson - Khaleb McRae and Jacory Patterson. McRae ran 43.91 at the Bob Vigars Classic in Canada earlier this year, and Patterson ran 43.98 to win the 400m at the Grand Slam Track meeting in Miami.

It hasn't been a cinderella season for Wilson, but Coach Joe Lee has been slowly turning up the dial. Prior to the Ed Murphey Classic, Wilson had not run faster than 45.27 on the year. He actually finished the High School season as the tenth ranked boy in the COROS MileSplit50 Rankings.

But Wilson wasn't training for a New Balance Nationals title (which he won), he had the USATF Championships circled on his calendar. 

McRae, Patterson and Bailey could be Wilson's toughest competition. 

Bailey took sixth in the 400m at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. In 2025, Bailey has won the USATF Indoor 400m title, the World Indoor 400m Title, the Grand Slam Track Kingston 400m, the Shanghai Diamond League 400m and the Racers Grand Prix 400m in Jamaica. Bailey has been world class this year, and he will be tough to beat.

McRae is more of a sleeper - but he sports solid finishes in 2025. McRae most recently finished fourth at the Prefontaine Classic.

Patterson finished behind Bailey and ahead of McRae at the Pre Classic. He earned a bronze at the World Indoor Championships earlier this year and took second at the US Indoor Championships behind Bailey.

Of course, Deadmon and Norwood will also be in the mix.

Wilson will have his work cut out for him, but his experience has doubled since the US Olympic Trials last year. The phenom has competed on the biggest stage - and has an Olympic Gold Medal in his cabinet. With the 400m Olympic Gold Medalist (Quincy Hall) out, the door is wide-open for Wilson or another contender to claim the career-making honors in Eugene.

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