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Quincy Wilson is no superhero, but at 16, he's making magic at Olympic trials

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Quincy Wilson is no superhero, but at 16, he's making magic at Olympic trials

EUGENE, Ore. — Just in case you were wondering, Quincy Wilson isn’t working with the benefit of vibranium. His purple kit inspired by the movie “Black Panther,” though, suggests some Wakanda abilities, especially after another jaw-dropping performance.

“No, it’s just me inside of it,” Wilson said, flashing a most-Cheshire grin.

His extraordinary capabilities may not be attributable to a potent fictional metal from the Africa of the Marvel Universe. But something is clearly special about this 16-year-old from Maryland.

Such was so blatantly true in Sunday’s semifinal of the men’s 400 meters. Wilson, the phenom from Bullis High, stole the show with a stunning time relative to his age. He ran the 400 in 44.59 seconds, the fastest time ever by an American 18 or younger.

It was his own record because on Saturday his 400-meter time of 44.66 broke the 18-and-under mark set by Darrell Robinson of Tacoma, Wash., in 1982.

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He finished third in his heat, so he didn’t get one of the automatic qualifying spots to Monday night’s final. But with the fourth-best time of the semifinals, he easily earned one of the nine spots. A top-three finish Monday would mean Wilson has to delay driver’s training, and thus his license, because he’d be going to Paris.

“I’ve never been this happy a day in my life when it came to track,” Wilson said. “I’ve been working for this moment. That record that I broke two days ago … that’s 42 years of nobody being able to break that record. And I broke it twice in two days.”

The special sauce of Wilson, beyond just his obvious talent, is the kid’s heart.

At 5-foot-9 with adolescent muscles, he’s small compared to the fully grown men surrounding him. His form can be wonky, as you’d expect from a rising junior. His inexperience at this level gives his opponents a notable advantage.

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But Wilson runs fearlessly. He empties his tank, embraces the pain. He believes enough to keep battling. Every meter. Every step. Every moment. He has a natural audaciousness. He’s aware enough to understand this, the history he’s making, but manages the steel to take it on.

His heart filled Hayward Field on Sunday.

Bryce Deadmon is 6-foot-3 and 27 years old. He’s an Olympic champ, a world champ, a two-time national champ. And he had inside position on the teenager as they rounded the second curve. On the other side of Wilson was Vernon Norwood, a 6-foot-2 seasoned professional who was winning NCAA titles when Wilson was knee-high to a grasshopper.

“Someone at 16 years old,” Wilson said, supposing the mindset of mere mortal teens, “they’re most likely to get scared when they go (against) big competitors. Vernon (Norwood) is 32 years old. I’m 16. I’m half his age. So I’m just running for my life.”

Imagine the juxtaposition of worlds he’s inhabited in the month of June. In high school, he’s untouchable. He breaks records just by lacing up his spikes. He’s signed an NIL deal with New Balance. He can run with the confidence of knowing he’s the man in his age group.

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Then came the final turn of Sunday’s 400 meters. He was in fifth place heading into the final 100. He looked to be spent. His storybook was about to end valiantly. Because where would he get the conviction to push against so many accomplished vets?

His first-round blast was impressive enough. The semifinals were the reality check that was always coming.

But Wilson pushed back against such a notion. The youngster didn’t concede. He dug deeper. He stayed attached. Whatever his race plan was, it was gone by that moment. The new plan was his heart.


Quincy Wilson, left, races in Sunday’s 400-meter semifinals. He broke his own record for his age group, set one day earlier, to qualify for Monday’s final. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

He found more in his reserves, passing both Judson Lincoln of Virginia Tech and Jenoah McKiver from Florida.

“Stay calm,” Wilson said he told himself. “I didn’t get out the way I wanted to. But like my coach said, ‘The race starts at 300.’ You look at Vernon’s interviews. He said, ‘I’ma see you at 300.’ Coming from fifth to third, it means a lot. Because if you look at me, I’m not as strong. But that’s 100 percent heart.”

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Monday is the biggest final of his life. The stakes keep escalating. His life could change even more dramatically than it has already should he finish in the top 3.

It sounds like a tall order. It feels too much to ask. But watching him means knowing it’s on the table. Wilson has a force of will about him, reservoirs to tap into, a comfort in the moments.

Afterward, he may speak about what he’s doing with the giddiness of a teenager hopped up on Junior Mints after seeing a good action movie. His grin beams brighter when he talks about the love he’s gotten from Noah Lyles and Sha’Carri Richardson, reminding you he’s still an impressionable young man.

“I’m on the world’s biggest final coming up tomorrow,” he said, his eyes his exclamation points. “At 16 years old! I’m like ecstatic right now.”

But on the track, he’s far less innocent. He’s a concoction of toughness and appreciation, work ethic and humility, awe and audacity. He’s a high school superstar with the world at his fingertips. He’s also the son of a military family who’s lived in six states, a family of athletes that knows all about grind, sacrifice and focus.

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“The first thing when I got off the track,” Wilson said after Sunday’s race, “my coach told me he’s extremely proud of me. He was telling me the things we’ve got to do to break down the race. He’s not caught up in the moment, and with that on my side, I think I have great things for (Monday). I can’t wait for (the final).”

Wilson said he’s got a new kit for Monday, too. It doesn’t have to be Wakanda-inspired. He doesn’t need vibranium. He’s already made of the right stuff.

go-deeper

GO DEEPER

Noah Lyles wins men’s 100m at U.S. Olympic track trials

(Top photo of Quincy Wilson during Sunday’s 400-meter semifinals: Christian Petersen / Getty Images)

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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd

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ESPN’s Stephen A Smith hears boos from WrestleMania 42 crowd

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

Danhausen’s curse may be real after all – just ask Stephen A. Smith and the New York Mets.

While the latter dropped their 10th game in a row, Smith got his share of the curse on Saturday night during Night 1 of WrestleMania 42. Smith was in attendance for WWE’s premier event of the year and heard massive boos from the crowd.

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith was sitting ringside to watch the action. The ESPN star appeared on the videoboard above the ring at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. He appeared to embrace the reaction and smiled through it.

The boos came after Danhausen appeared on “First Take” on Friday – much to the chagrin of the sports pundit. Smith appeared perplexed by Danhausen’s appearance. Smith said he heard about Danhausen and called him a “bad luck charm.”

Danhausen said Smith had been “rude” to him and put the dreaded “curse” on the commentator.

WWE STAR DANHAUSEN SAYS METS ‘CURSE’ ISN’T EXACTLY LIFTED AS TEAM DROPS NINTH STRAIGHT GAME

Stephen A. Smith attends WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada, on April 18, 2026. (Andrew Timms/WWE)

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Smith is far from the only one dealing with the effects of the “curse.”

Danhausen agreed to “un-curse” the Mets during their losing streak. However, he told Fox News Digital earlier this week that there was a reason why the curse’s removal didn’t take full effect.

“I did un-curse the Mets. But it didn’t work because, I believe it was Brian Gewirtz who did not pay Danhausen. He did not send me my money so it did not take full effect,” Danhausen said. “Once I have the money, perhaps it will actually work because right now it’s probably about a half of an un-cursing. It’s like a layaway situation.”

Danhausen enters the arena before his match against Kit Wilson during SmackDown at SAP Center in San Jose, Calif., on April 10, 2026. (Eakin Howard/Getty Images)

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On “Friday Night SmackDown,” WWE stars like The Miz and Kit Wilson were also targets of Danhausen’s curse.

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After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town

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After 55 years as a broadcaster in L.A., Randy Rosenbloom is leaving town

It’s time to reveal memories, laughs and crazy times from Randy Rosenbloom’s 55 years as a TV/radio broadcaster in Los Angeles. He’s hopping in a car next Sunday with his wife, saying goodbye to a North Hollywood house that’s been in his family since 1952 and driving 3,300 miles to his new home in Greenville, S.C.

“When I walk out, I’ll probably break down,” he said.

He graduated from North Hollywood High in 1969. He got his first paid job in 1971 calling Hart basketball games for NBC Cable Newhall for $10 a game. It began an adventure of a lifetime.

“I never knew if I overachieved or underachieved. I just did what I loved,” he said.

Randy Rosenbloom (left) used to work with former UCLA coach John Wooden for TV games.

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(Randy Rosenbloom)

John Wooden, Jerry Tarkanian and Jim Harrick were among his expert commentators when he did play by play for college basketball games. He called volleyball at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games for NBC and rowing in 2004. He’s worked more than 100 championship high school events. He did play by play for the first and only Reebok Bowl at Angel Stadium in 1994 won by Bishop Amat over Sylmar, 35-14.

“There were about 5,000, 6,000 people there and I remember thinking nobody watched the game. We ended up with a 5.7 TV rating on Channel 13 in Los Angeles, which is higher than most Lakers games.”

He conducted interviews with NFL Hall of Famers Gale Sayers and Johnny Unitas and boxing greats Robert Duran, Thomas Hearn and Sugar Ray Leonard. He’s worked with baseball greats Steve Garvey and Doug DeCinces. He called games with former USC coach Rod Dedeaux. He was in the radio booth for Bret Saberhagen’s 1982 no-hitter in the City Section championship game at Dodger Stadium. He was a nightly sportscaster for KADY in Ventura.

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Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.

Randy Rosenbloom, left, with his volleyball broadcast partners, Kirk Kilgour and Bill Walton.

(Randy Rosenbloom)

He was the voice of Fresno State football and basketball. He also did Nevada Las Vegas football and basketball games. He called bowl games and Little League games. He was a public address announcer for basketball at the 1984 Olympic Games with Michael Jordan the star and did the P.A. for Toluca Little League.

Nothing was too small or too big for him.

“I loved everything,” he said.

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He called at least 10 East L.A. Classic football games between Garfield and Roosevelt. He was there when Narbonne and San Pedro tied 21-21 in the 2008 City championship game at the Coliseum on a San Pedro touchdown with one second left.

Probably his most notable tale came when he was doing radio play-by-play at a 1998 college bowl game in Montgomery, Ala.

“I look down and a giant tarantula is crawling up my pants,” he said. “My color man took all the press notes, wadded them up and hit the tarantula like swinging a bat.”

Did Rosenbloom tell the audience what was happening?

“I stayed calm,” he said.

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Then there was the time he was in the press box at Sam Boyd Stadium and a bat flew in and attached itself to the wooden press box right next to him before flying away after he said, “UNLV wins.”

Recently, he’s been putting together high school TV packages for LA36 and calling travel ball basketball games. He’ll still keep doing a radio gambling show from his new home, but he’s cutting ties to Los Angeles to move closer to grandchildren.

“I’m retiring from Los Angeles. I’m leaving the market,” he said.

Hopefully he’ll continue via Zoom to do a weekly podcast with me for The Times.

He’s a true professional who’s versatility and work ethic made him a reliable hire from the age of 18 through his current age of 74.

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He’s a member of the City Section Hall of Fame and the Southern California Jewish Sports Hall of Fame. He once threw the shot put 51 feet, 7 1/2 inches, which is his claim to fame at North Hollywood High.

One time an ESPN graphic before a show spelled his name “Rosenbloom” then changed it to “Rosenblum” for postgame. It was worth a good laugh.

He always adjusts, improvises and ad-libs. He expects to enjoy his time in South Carolina, but he better watch out for tarantulas. They seem to like him.

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

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Becky Lynch enters exclusive WWE club with Women’s Intercontinental Championship win at WrestleMania 42

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Becky Lynch entered an atmosphere no other WWE women’s superstar has ever reached as she won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship over AJ Lee on Saturday night at WrestleMania 42.

Lynch became the first person to hold the Women’s Intercontinental Championship three times after she pinned Lee. She first won the title against Lyra Valkyria in June 2025 and then again against Maxxine Dupri in November.

Becky Lynch celebrates with the belt after defeating AJ Lee during their women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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She dropped the belt to Lee at the Elimination Chamber, sparking a monthslong feud with her.

Lee gave Lynch the chance at the title in the weeks prior to WrestleMania 42. But it appeared Lee played right into Lynch’s plans. Despite arguing with referee Jessica Carr for most of the match, Lynch was able to tactfully tear down a rope buckle and use it to her advantage.

Lynch hit Lee with a Manhandle Slam and pinned her for the win.

WWE STARS REVEAL WHAT MAKES WRESTLEMANIA SO SPECIAL: ‘IT’S THE SUPER BOWL OF PRO WRESTLING’

AJ Lee reacts after losing to Becky Lynch in their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match at WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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It’s the second straight year Lynch will leave Las Vegas as champion. She returned to WWE at WrestleMania 41, teaming with Valkyria, to win the women’s tag titles. She will now leave Allegiant Stadium as the women’s intercontinental champion.

Lynch is now a seven-time women’s champion, three-time women’s intercontinental champion and two-time tag team champion.

Becky Lynch withstands AJ Lee during their Women’s Intercontinental Championship match on night one of WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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Lee’s reign as champion ended really before it could really begin. WrestleMania 42 was her first appearance at the event in 11 years. It’s unclear where Lee will go from here.

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