Last year, Quincy Wilson became the youngest American male athlete on track to win an Olympic team gold medal. “This was a dream come true,” he said. In that moment, he knew that an Olympic gold medal was just the beginning of many more milestones to come, and he aspires to achieve the pinnacle of the sport. And as he looks forward to adding more accolades to his already impressive resume, he looks up to Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone for inspiration. “I know I have multiple world championships, multiple Olympics to go to, so it’s one of many. I will keep looking up, keeping out here like Sydney McLaughlin,” he asserted.

More than a year later after he graced the Olympics stage, Wilson once again opened up about his inspiration. The 17-year-old said, “One Olympian that inspired me as a kid was probably Sydney McLaughlin.” And the reasons are many. Wilson pointed out that it was primarily McLaughlin-Levrone’s work ethic that moved him as a follower. The 400m champion made the US Olympic team as a 16-year-old in 2016. McLaughlin-Levrone has kept improving ever since then. 

Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone has rightfully changed how athletics is viewed today. Furthermore, Wilson reflected on “how her faith has changed her into the woman she’s been today.” McLaughlin-Levrone has often talked about how her belief in herself has shaped her identity as an athlete. And that’s exactly who Quincy Wilson aspires to be like. Talking about the real reason why the 400m world champion has stayed as his idol, Wilson said, “I want to be as a man growing up into who I am. Thank you, Sydney.”

Both Wilson and McLaughlin-Levrone have carved their names into the record books at remarkably young ages. The New Jersey native became the youngest American track athlete to make an Olympic team in 2016 at 16, later rewriting history with a 400m hurdles world record of 50.37 seconds at the 2024 Olympics. She also stunned the world with a 47.78-second run in the flat 400m at the 2025 Tokyo World Athletics Championships. Wilson mirrored that trajectory, setting an under-18 world best of 44.10 seconds in the 400m. 

And now, Quincy Wilson is getting ready for his next big step – his collegiate career and NCAA preparations. 

Quincy Wilson looks forward to choose the best collegiate program

In his recruitment saga, the 17-year-old appears to have taken a major step toward his collegiate future by posting photos in University of California, Los Angeles gear. It included a university’s visitor’s pass and a Bruins jersey. However, he didn’t commit yet. Having shattered under-18 records in the 400m and earned a spot on the US 4x400m relay pool for Paris 2024, Wilson is now a highly coveted recruit with strong Name, Image & Likeness potential. 

Several powerhouse programs, including Louisiana State University, University of Florida, Texas Tech University, and University of Maryland, have reportedly shown strong interest in him. And as Wilson transitions into the next phase of his career, he’s not just chasing collegiate success. He is modeling his mindset after McLaughlin-Levrone, who balanced elite performance, progression from teenager to champion.