Manteo Mitchell first met Quincy Wilson in June at Olympic Track Trials, where Wilson finished sixth in the 400m to earn a trip to the Paris Olympics in the 4x400m relay pool.
Mitchell, a 2012 Olympic silver medalist in the men's 4x400m, was impressed by the maturity of the 16-year-old Wilson.
“He’s the real deal,” Mitchell told NBC. “What a phenomenal human being. He's a great kid and I hate to even call him a kid, but he is a kid. Like, he's five years older than my son, and when I look at it like that, it's like, 'wow, this is crazy.'”
Wilson, who attends high school in Potomac, Maryland, is an avid gamer who spends much of his free time playing Fortnite and Call of Duty.
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He has built an audience of nearly 250,000 followers on Instagram and posted photos with LeBron James, Stephen Curry and other superstar athletes.
“I really like his swag,” Mitchell said. “A lot of people will think he's cocky or arrogant. I don't see that at all. He's just super confident in not only himself, but his abilities both on and off the track.”
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If picked to run in the 4x400m relay, Wilson would become the youngest-ever U.S. male Olympic track and field athlete.
“I hope he gets the opportunity to run,” Mitchell said. “The dude is a performer and he's a gamer. And I think if something's on the line, whether he has experience passing the baton around with USA on his chest or not, the dude is ready if he gets called, that's all I’ve got to say.”
The first round of the men’s 4x400 relay will be held on Friday at 5:05 a.m. ET and the final will be on Saturday at 3 p.m. ET.
