12-year-old runs 51-second 400m at Adidas Track Indoor Nationals

Junior athletes from across the U.S. gathered in Virginia Beach, Va., over the weekend to compete at the Adidas Indoor Track and Field National Championships, and a 12-year-old named Quincy Wilson ran into the spotlight in the 400m. Racing in the boys “Rising Stars” division, Wilson flew to the win in an incredible 51.78 seconds. 

How fast do you expect a 12-year-old to run 400m indoors?

Well, Quincy Wilson ran a 51.78 at the Adidas Indoor Nationals! pic.twitter.com/QAXpNx4YtY

— AW (@AthleticsWeekly) February 26, 2021

Sprinting to the win

Runners at the Adidas Indoor Nationals raced on a 200m indoor track, and Wilson — who runs with Track 757, a club in Chesapeake, Va. — ran with just one other boy in his heat (although there were seven boys altogether in the Rising Stars 400m). Wilson and his lone competitor, a young runner named Koven Smith, both got off to quick starts. Wilson posted a fast opening 200m, finishing the first lap in 24.064 seconds to hold a slight lead over Smith, who crossed the line in 24.783. 

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While Wilson slowed in his second lap, he managed to lengthen his gap over Smith even more, and he crossed the line with a second 200m split of 27.712 for a final result of 51.78. Smith finished more than three seconds later in 55.35. 

Wilson took the win in the boys Rising Stars race. Second place went to a boy named C.J. Weaver in 53.00, and Smith came in third. 

12 years old! Incredible run Quincy Wilson! 51.78 in the 400m! https://t.co/l6mDzBzPMZ

— Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez (@RodriguezJax) February 27, 2021

Single-age record 

Wilson’s result in Virginia Beach was amazing, but his 51-second showing is more than two seconds off the single-age world record for 12-year-olds. That title belongs to Bryce Love, an American who ran 49.47 seconds in 2010. Love (who now plays in the NFL) also owns the 200m and 400m world records for 11 year olds, with 23.57 and 52.16 results to his name from 2009. 

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Granted, Love ran his records outdoors while Wilson ran his indoors, so it’s tough to compare their  times. World records aside, Wilson’s run was amazing, and he is certainly an athlete to keep an eye on in the coming decade.