United States sprinter Quincy Wilson made quite a name for himself in the Paris Olympics. After bagging gold in the 4×100-m relay, the 16-year-old became the youngest-ever male Olympic medal winner in U.S. history.
As expected, the young man was on the receiving end of a warm welcome from the fans at the airport the moment he arrived on home soil on Monday. Wilson took the opportunity to send a special shoutout to the fans for all the support they’ve given him throughout his Olympic journey.
“It feels amazing,” he said. “I can’t believe all the support here — just supported me just coming in. It feels amazing to just come out here and just represent my country, represent my state, and most definitely put it out for the DMV (District of Colombia, Maryland, and Virginia).”
Quincy Wilson competes in the finals of the men’s 400 meters during day four of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.
Ben Lonergan/The Register-Guard / USA TODAY NETWORK
Wilson was then asked how it felt like to be met by a sea of strangers upon his arrival at the airport as the fans showed their love and appreciation for what he had achieved in Paris.
“It’s amazing,” he said. “You always want to be in that spotlight. As a 16-year-old athlete, just come out here doing your best and you never knew that it would come out and it would be this. So, I’m just so excited, so thankful for the moment. I’m just enjoying every single person that’s out here and just giving back because that’s what everyone did for me when I was at that age.”
Wilson, who will be a junior at Bullis School in Potomac, Maryland this school year, went on to share his message for his Bullis family for their outpouring of support.
“I want to say thank you to every single person coming out there,” Wilson said. “I’m pretty sure I got the message right before I ran, 285 people that came out and supported me. I just want to say thank you. I’m so thankful for them because without that and all the support, me and my teammates wouldn’t have been able to get to where I’m at right now. I’m so thankful.”
What an amazing past few weeks it has been for Wilson, and he now comes home to America as one of the most popular athletes in the nation.
After all, it’s not every day that you see a 16-year-old with an Olympic gold medal hanging around his neck.
