WATCH: U.S. ninth grader runs 45-second 400m at Penn Relays

U.S. ninth-grade student Quincy Wilson, who made headlines earlier this year when he won a U.S. junior national indoor 400m title at 15, threw down another outlandish 400m split on the first day of the 2023 Penn Relays in Philadelphia. Wilson split 45.06 seconds in the high school boys’ 4x400m relay prelims to help his school, Potomac, Md.’s Bullis School, advance to Friday’s championship final.

Wilson ran the anchor leg to help his team achieve the fastest qualifying time of the day in 3:14.12. Thursday marked Wilson’s first time competing at the Penn Relays, the oldest and largest track and field competition in the U.S., hosted annually since 1895.

The meet regularly attracts 10,000+ participants from high schools, colleges, and track clubs across North America and abroad, competing in more than 300 events over three days. 

Wilson has not competed in an individual 400m yet this outdoor season, but his relay split of 45.06 shows he is capable of threatening the U16 world best of 45.27 seconds. The 2023 World Championship standard for the 400m is 45:00. 

He first broke onto the scene as a sprinting phenom at 12, running an incredible time of 51.78 seconds for 400m at Rising Stars youth meet in February 2021. Wilson emerged as a star during the 2023 indoor season when he ran a 600m best of 1:17.80 at the Millrose Games in New York City and followed it up by running a 46.67 400m to win the New Balance Nationals in March in Boston.

Wilson is scheduled to compete in the high school final of the 4x400m and 4x100m relay on Friday.