Back in 2025, a then-17-year-old Quincy Wilson arrived at the Ed Murphey Classic with big expectations. He was already seen as one of the brightest young names in the 400m, but he also knew something needed fixing. “I haven’t been getting out (of the blocks well),” he said. But that weakness did not slow him down on the day that mattered. Wilson put it all together and ran 44.10 seconds to win the 400m. That run made him the fastest U18 athlete in history over the distance and also placed him second on the all-time U20 list. Now in 2026, that benchmark has been pushed again!

At the NCAA Track and Field Championships on June 12, Alabama’s Samuel Ogazi won the men’s 400m final in 43.38 seconds. Right behind him came Georgia freshman Jonathan Simms, 19, who ran 43.92. That run put Simms into rare company. He became only the second junior in 38 years to break 44 seconds, after Steve Lewis, whose 43.87 has been standing since 1988. With that, Simms moved ahead of Quincy Wilson on the all-time U20 list, pushing Wilson to third.

In the same race, Simms’ teammate Sidi Njie also delivered a big run, clocking 44.20, which places him fourth on the all-time U20 list. For Simms, though, this breakthrough was years in the making.

The Texas native broke into the spotlight in 2023 when he broke Obea Moore’s 1995 world record of 45.12 in the under-16 400m at the AAU Junior Olympic Games in 46.09. At the Millrose Games in 2024, Simms finished third behind Quincy Wilson in the U20 600m, running 1:18.22. Unfortunately, an injury ended his season early, just as he was getting started.

In 2025, he returned with renewed vigor and reduced his 400m PB to 45.44 and picked up the USATF U20 title in Eugene. Simms was again making history as 2026 started. He ran his first NCAA event, tying with Randolph Ross on the all-time list for indoor running with a time of 44.62 at the Clemson Invitational. The performance was just 0.13 of a second off the fastest indoor 400m ever.

Simms clocked his personal best to 44.02 at the Torrin Lawrence Memorial in Athens, and then ran 44.16 at the SEC Championships to finish third and earn his spot at the NCAA Championships, before dropping to 44.35 at the NCAA East Regional. Then he had the biggest race of his career in June when he beat Quincy Wilson in the all-time U20 race. However, as Simms was ascending, Quincy Wilson is also building a strong 2026 of his own.

Quincy Wilson keeps the momentum going across the 2026 season

Quincy Wilson was consistent on both the indoor and outdoor fields for his 2026 success. He started out the year by winning the 400m at the New Balance Nationals Indoor with a time of 45.37 seconds. He improved his own 2025 meet record of 45.71, coming within 0.01 of Jayden Deleon’s time.

Outdoors, Wilson continued his dominant form at the Arcadia Invitational 2026, winning the 400m with a time of 45.48 and shattering an Arcadia meet record which had been held by Michael Norman.

His most recent appearance was on June 19 at Hayward Field, where he competed in the USATF U20 400m prelims. Staying composed in a tight pack that also featured Jayden Deleon, Wilson took charge in the final stages and won with 45.28 seconds. This was the quickest round and the best high school round in the United States for 2026.

This run earned him a qualification in the USATF U20 Championships and gave him a chance to be on the national team. Prior to that, he will face another high school opponent at New Balance Nationals at Franklin Field, and a strong effort could help put the season on ice in a good way.