Quincy Wilson, a 16-year-old track and field athlete, is the youngest person in the Dazed 100 USA, a definitive list of the next generation driving youth culture forward in 2024 and beyond. He’s also used to breaking records. The New Balance athlete broke the U18 World Record in the Men’s 400m individual sprint three times over the summer, solidifying his roster position. Then, he became the youngest US male track and field athlete to win a gold medal in the 2024 games. 

In the tenth year of the Dazed 100, 2024 marks the first dedicated USA list, in partnership with New Balance. The list includes the most inspiring change-makers across fashion, beauty, art, photography, music, entertainment, activism, and sports – like Wilson. As an emerging figure in track and field, he says he aims to create a legacy of “hard work with humility”. Here, we speak to Wilson about his inspiration, community, and journey as the youngest person in every room he’s in.

How does it feel to get this recognition at 16?  

Quincy Wilson: I feel like I’ve got great recognition. I’m just going to work at getting better at what I am doing. Being part of New Balance keeps pushing me forward and more forward. New Balance is family.

How did you decide to focus on track and field? 

Quincy Wilson: As a freshman, I was on the football team as the leading scorer.  I also won the 400m high school national championship in indoor track that same freshman year.  I felt like I had to choose one sport if I wanted to be great.  That's what it took! I knew I had to elevate and stay consistent in my growth by working hard.

Who’s in your circle?

Quincy Wilson: I have two to three friends I stick with. I keep really close friend group, and they all want the same outcomes as I do. My close friends have high expectations and goals. We just celebrated homecoming recently and were the only people who didn’t go to parties. We wanted to do what was best for us long-term.

Do you ever feel like you’re missing out on anything?

Quincy Wilson: There are experiences I’ve probably missed out on. But, at the end of the day, I know what I want to do. Winning gold is way more fun than going to a party. That gold medal is going to last forever.

What’s next? 

Quincy Wilson: I’m competitive, so I just want to keep getting better at whatever I do. Track is what I’m able to do the best right now. I feel like if I just work on my craft, the sky's the limit for me. And I want to keep being motivated because I know there are people looking forward to whatever's next. Nobody thought I could do what I did at 16, and I want the younger generation to have an example to look up to.

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