GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA, July 19 — Sixteen-year-old Quincy Wilson stole the spotlight as he and other Olympic medal hopefuls got a final tuneup for the Paris Games on a wet Percy Beard Track at the Holloway Pro Classic.
Wilson has had a lot of success on the Beard oval, but Friday night’s performance was otherworldly, as the junior from Bullis High (Potomac, Maryland) held off pro Bryce Deadmon to lower his High School and World Youth Records by 0.39 to 44.20.
“Two weeks ago at the Trials, I felt I left something out,” said Wilson, whose victory over Deadmon reversed their 5-6 finish order at the Olympic Trials. “I told my coach, I didn’t want to have that feeling again. We were thinking about not running the meet and I told my coach, ‘I want to go and try again.’ He told me, ‘OK, if you are willing to work.’”
Work, Wilson did. He trailed Deadmon, a lane to his right, at 100 (11.3–11.4), dropped a 10.0(!) split to reach 200 just inches ahead (21.4) and covered the turn in 10.9 for an advantage of about a foot at 300. With chest pressed forward and head back, the teen prodigy repelled Deadmon’s forceful stretch run and leaned at the line to cross a head in front by 0.03.
Said Wilson, who received a huge hug after the race from hurdle great Grant Holloway, who handled trackside interviews, “I came out here and executed my race and showed what I could do and what I left out. I had a lot left.”
Selected for the Team USA relay pool, he may get the chance to show it in Paris.
A 1-hour rain delay left conditions slippery for the first field event of the night, the long jump. Anna Hall had hoped to improve on her seasonal best, but a slip on her first attempt that left scratches on the brand-new takeoff board nixed any more jumps in the competition.
“Some people may not know this,” Hall said, “but last year, when I hurt my knee, it was on a wet jump board, so that was kind of scary.” Paris-bound in the heptathlon after two knee surgeries since the injury, Hall added, “I slipped on the first attempt. My coach [Nic Petersen] told me it was not worth it to risk injury right before the Olympics. It was a bit frustrating because I thought I was ready to have a season’s best.”
Hall returned in the 200 later on to improve on her 23.90 seasonal best with a 5th-place 23.81.
“I was hoping to run a little bit faster,” she said, “but considering the conditions, I was happy with it. My first 100m I finally did what Coach Holloway [Florida head Mike, who mentors her on sprint technique] has been asking me to do. We’re not very fresh because we are training hard right now to prepare for Paris so I’m excited for what that might mean.”
TJ Great Taylor’s Last Meet
Christian Taylor completed his career with much fanfare. The 2-time Olympic and 4-time World Champ triple jump gold medalist — No. 2 all-time with his 59-9 (18.21) that won the ’15 Worlds — took his final jump as a hundred onlookers lined the runway to his surprise.
“I don’t like the limelight so the nerves went to another level when everyone came down,” Taylor said. “I almost felt like I blacked out.
“I was hearing the accolades and hearing about my journey so that made me very emotional to think about what I have been able to accomplish, the sacrifices and everything that you do to make your dreams come true. When I looked down and saw all the bodies at the end of the pit, it felt like I was jumping into a crowd of love. I’m so grateful for this experience and for the American Track League to end my career here.”
For the record, Taylor’s last jump measured 52-11½ (16.14), the longest of his four legal attempts here.
The 34-year-old Florida alum now looks forward to spending time with family in his track retirement: “I talk about the sacrifices you have to make. You have to say no to so many things to reach your goals. Family has been put aside. I’ve lived abroad. Getting that quality family time is going to be so important to me.”
The wet track didn’t temper the men’s 100. Trials semifinalist Pjai Austin sped to a 9.94 season best in heat I and Emmanuel Matadi clocked a 9.98 in heat II in the prelims to set up a great final. A false start by Matadi, who credited it to a drone flying overhead, did not faze him as he regrouped and dominated the final to win in a Liberian Record 9.91 over teammate Joe Fahnbulleh (10.00, 0.02 off his PR).
“I was a little race rusty,” said the 33-year-old Matadi, who called his start his best of the year. “I haven’t been competing how I would like. The goal was to work on the stuff that I have been working on in practice.”
Grace Stark continued her impressive postseason. The ’24 Florida senior’s 12.58 in her first race since the Olympic Trials, after leading the heats at 12.42, turned back a world-class field that included three of the five fastest all-time performers: Tobi Amusan, AR holder Keni Harrison, and OT winner Masai Russell.
“They are such amazing girls,” Stark said. “Masai is my future teammate and Tobi has been an amazing inspiration of the last couple of years so it was an amazing opportunity to race against them this year. There were a couple of delays and some false starts, but I tried to keep focus. I have a lot of pride running on my home track and I just wanted to come away with the win. I feel great. My body feels great and I am super excited to go to Paris.”
For Amusan, there was a lot to work on before Paris: “The start wasn’t great, but trust me, we’re working on it. I’m excited with this 2nd-place finish. There is a little bit of time before Paris. I’m going to keep working hard and let God do his work in Paris.”
When asked what she thought of the fast times by others this season Amusan replied, “ I don’t mean any disrespect, but I’m the World Record holder. They should take note of my time. I don’t care about what anyone is doing, I just focus on me and my race and come out and do my thing. I think I will run faster than my 12.12.”
HOLLOWAY PRO CLASSIC RESULTS
Men’s Events
100(1.2): 1. Emmanuel Matadi (Lbr) 9.91 NR; 2. Joe Fahnbulleh (Lbr) 10.00; 3. Pjai Austin (US) 10.06; 4. Julian Forte (Jam) 10.12.
200(0.3): 1. Erriyon Knighton (US) 19.92; 2. Jevaughn Powell (Jam) 20.21 PR; 3. Robert Gregory (US) 20.33.
400: 1. Quincy Wilson (US) 44.20 WYR, HSR (old records 44.59 Wilson ’24) (2, 3 WJ/AJ);
2. Bryce Deadmon (US) 44.23; 3. Matthew Boling (US) 44.84 PR; 4. Jacory Patterson (US) 45.02; 5. Demish Gaye (Jam) 45.98; 6. Wil London (US) 45.99.
800: 1. Josh Hoey (US) 1:44.22; 2. Clayton Murphy (US) 1:45.01; 3. Rob Downs (US) 1:45.59 PR; 4. Cass Elliott (US) 1:45.71 PR; 5. Luciano Fiore (US) 1:46.17 PR.
110H(0.5): 1. Eric Edwards (US) 13.30; 2. Myles Hunter (US) 13.39; 3. Dylan Beard (US) 13.42; 4. Robert Dunning (US) 13.49; 5. Connor Schulman (US) 13.59.
400H: 1. Nathaniel Ezekiel (Ngr) 48.21; 2. Chris Robinson (US) 48.96; 3. James Smith (US) 49.56.
LJ: 1. Jeremiah Davis (US) 26-3¾ (8.02); 2. Will Williams (US) 25-8¾ (7.84); 3. Jalen Seals (US) 25-3½ (7.71); 4. Malcolm Clemons (US) 25-0 (7.62).
TJ: 1. Russell Robinson (US) 55-5¾ (16.91); 2. O’Brien Wasome (Jam) 54-2 (16.51); 3. Sean Dixon-Bodie (US) 54-1¼ (16.49); 4. Donald Scott (US) 53-10½ (16.42); 5. Christian Taylor (US) 52-11½ (16.14) (final competition of career).
Women’s Events
100(0.9): 1. Favour Ofili (Ngr) 11.07; 2. Candace Hill (US) 11.07; 3. Leah Bertrand (Tri) 11.18.
200(-0.2): 1. Ofili 22.36; 2. Hill 22.62; 3. Adaejah Hodge (BVI) 22.66;… 5. Anna Hall (US) 23.81.
400: 1. Aaliyah Butler (US) 50.14; 2. Bailey Lear (US) 50.51 PR; 3. Skyler Franklin (Jam) 51.01 PR; 4. Courtney Okolo (US) 51.46.
800: 1. Dorcus Ewoi (Ken) 1:58.19 PR; 2. Addy Wiley (US) 1:58.71; 3. Olivia Baker (US) 1:58.95; 4. Rachel Gearing (US) 1:59.50 PR; 5. Athing Mu (US) 2:00.29.
100H(-1.7): 1. Grace Stark (US) 12.58; 2. Tobi Amusan (Ngr) 12.60; 3. Masai Russell (US) 12.66; 4. Denisha Cartwright (Bah) 12.79; 5. Christina Clemons (US) 12.88; 6. Keni Harrison (US) 12.94.
400H: 1. Alanah Yukich (Aus) 55.30; 2. Gianna Woodruff (Pan) 55.45; 3. Dalilah Muhammad (US) 55.85; 4. Cassandra Tate (US) 56.11; 5. Jessica Wright (US) 57.09; 6. Bianca Stubler (US) 57.13.
TJ: 1. Keturah Orji (US) 46-2½ (14.08); 2. Jasmine Moore (US) 46-1½ (14.06); 3. Charisma Taylor (Bah) 44-8¾ (13.63); 4. Imani Oliver (US) 44-3¼ (13.49).