"That one loss is not going to define him"- Justin Gatlin reacts to Quincy Wilson's remarkable comeback after season opener loss

Justin Gatlin reacted to 17-year-old Quincy Wilson's comeback at the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix after losing in his season opener on January 18, 2025. Wilson competed in the 500m short track race at the VA Showcase, finishing second, which brought about a lot of scrutiny among fans who questioned whether the Olympic gold medalist was ready to compete this season.

The teenage athlete expressed his optimism for the rest of the season and claimed he will be working hard to put in a better performance in his upcoming races. Quincy Wilson returned to the track to compete in the New Balance Indoor Grand Prix against Pro athletes and clocked 45.66 to clinch the title after a dominating finish.

Former Olympic medalist Justin Gatlin spoke about Wilson's comeback in his podcast 'Ready Set Go' and revealed how one failure won't define the outcome of the youngster's future appearance. Moreover, he lauded Wilson for his impressive race strategy while competing against professional athletes.

"That one loss is not going to define him. At the end of the day, he came back to prove, 'I am Quincy Wilson. You understand? I am going to go to these high school meets and it's going to be whatever I got to get done. But when I am jumping in these professional races, I am coming with the heat too.'" Gatlin said.

"He did. The way he ran his race was so vet-like. He literally let those dudes command the race after they came out through his blind side. He saw exactly where they were. He saw exactly how they were moving and all of a sudden, he turned on those Quincy Wilson jets, he threw that head back, and then he started moving, he started running and all of sudden he started just passing those dudes," he added.

Justin Gatlin gives an opinion on whether Quincy Wilson should skip college to turn pro

Justin Gatlin competes in the Ready Steady Tokyo - Athletics Olympic Test Event - Source: Getty

Olympic Champion Quincy Wilson is currently going to multiple colleges to look into their track and field programs as he navigates through his final year at high school and contemplates the future of his career. Justin Gatlin weighed in on whether Wilson should join college and compete in the NCAA track circuit or go pro directly after high school.

Gatlin expressed Wilson should experience every level of competition as it would enhance his outlook and help him in the future.

"I think he should experience every level a bit of it right maybe a one and done could be in his sights. I mean the time he's ran in this season, he would have won the NCAA already anyway, he has ran fast than any collegiate athlete," he said.

Furthermore, Gatlin shed light on how the highly competitive nature of college track and field will help Wilson push his limits.