The Incredible Story of Quincy Watts: 1992 Olympic Gold Medalist in the 400m | Exclusive Interview
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 21 ก.ค. 2024
- The 1980s and 1990s is often considered the golden era of 400m sprinting. Names like Michael Johnson, Steve Lewis, Butch Reynolds, Danny Everett, among others, ran some of the fastest times in 400m history, times which would still win Olympic and World Championship Golds to this day.
One of the most memorable seasons of that era was 1992 when Quincy Watts ran himself into history winning 400m Gold at the Barcelona Olympics. Though he set an Olympic record of 43.50 seconds, that performance didn’t just happen overnight.
Born in Detroit and later moving to Los Angeles to live with his father when he was in 8th Grade, Watts was guided by his Father, family, coaches and community to become one of the greatest athletes in the history of the sport. As Director of Track & Field at the University of Southern California, Watts is now guiding the next generation of great athletes in the sport.
00:00 Intro
01:16 Moving from Detroit to LA
03:08 His Father’s Influence
07:12 Being tricked into the 400m
10:20 Competing at the 1991 World Championships
13:27 Watching Carl Lewis in 1984
15:18 Winning 1992 Olympic Gold
16:37 Reminiscing on the Olympic Podium
20:10 The landscape of the 400m in the early 1990s
22:59 The current state of the 400m
25:57 Breaking 43 seconds in the 400m
26:45 Coaching at USC
31:53 Coaching NCAA and pro athletes
33:46 Closing - กีฬา
His 1992 season is Epic. From Pac10s to NCAAs to Oly Trials to The Games, he kept PRing and picking off champs nobody expected him to beat.
Quincy Watts! The absolute gold standard on how a person should represent and succeed in track and field (and cross-country) in all aspects, from young athlete, to Olympic gold medalist, to coaching a top program and elite athletes (who also earn global medals). Great person, great athlete, and great coach, there really isn't much more. Great video as always.
What a beautiful impact his father had on his life. Incredibly powerful. What a wonderful story and loved getting to know more about this legend.
My all time favorite 400m runner, so elegant in this technique!
Interesting interview...I remember him winning gold back then in Barcelona. Nice to get an impression of the person Quincy Watts...
Great person for sure.
Thanks for watching BR!
@@TheFinalLeg
It's worth it!
Agreed BRC. I remember QW winning at the Barcelona Olympics. He seemed to be a humble modest guy for a phenomenal athlete. I think these guys could turn their hand to any sport and still succeed!
What a gentleman!
America as a nation peaked in the 80's-90's. We had all time greats in every sport in those two decades.
Thanks for the trip back to 90s 400 meter running! When we were kings!
Thanks for watching!
So beautiful interview. Thanks!❤
Great interview 👍🏾
What a great video, thanks for creating and sharing this story, would love to see more interview videos like this.
Thanks for watching Nathan! I'm working a lot more with some current athletes, and I have a couple more with legendary athletes coming soon as well!
This was a great video of one of my favorite track and field athletes of all time, thank you…great piece!
Agreed, one of my favorite athletes as well! Watts is a legend and extremely humble.
Thanks for watching Pierre!
This was a great interview!
Thanks for watching!
Wow. Everyone needs a father or atleast a father figure.. n am ardent USC fan
Fantastic interview. I knew he was going to win after his semi. It was just a matter of how fast
Exactly. You don't break an Olympic Record in the semis super rexaled and get loose in the finals. He was guaranteed to win gold.
But interestingly enough, at thoes same Olympics, Mike Marsh ran 19.73 in the 200m semis but ran slower in the final!
Quincy’s story sort of in a very positive way reminds me of Boyz n the Hood. Ironically, I watched that movie after the 4x400 relay from Barcelona 1992. That could be why but leaving his mother in Detroit to move in with a strict strong Father figure. Quincy’s Dad sounds like Laurence Fishburne. Q was quality was a huge fan , MJ was the main man for me but Q May had been the most talented. MJ respects him so much I know.
Q has always been my number # 2 400 RUNNER only behind The GREAT Mr. Lee Evans
To show how great he was his former NCAA RECORD of 44.00 was good enough to have won the '19 NCAA OUTDOOR 400M
I just wanted to let yoou know that I like your approach to interviews possibly consider raising your voice at tad but this much better than just talking about an athletes medals
I appreciate that jsigur! I actually did originally have my audio in the video, but I cut it out so the focus could be on Quincy Watts here. The few times I speak I didn't want to be overpowering from what Watts is saying. But again, really appreciate that feedback and more interviews to come!
@12:00 Imagine running 43s and "not knowing what that meant".
It all depends on the weather
Black history? History. Race has no particular part in it. It's history.
Maybe the next interviewee is Danny Everett.
Would love to speak with him! I do have an interview with Steve Lewis though👀
Thanks for watching!
He had an Achilles injury that doomed his chase for gold at the Olympic Games, right? Never saw him running elite after that
@@seensay2132 Yup, just after the Olympic trials in 1992 where he ran 43.81, he picked up an Achilles injury in July that year and then struggled in Barcelona. But he did get all the way to the 400m semi-finals which is commendable! He fastest time after 1992 was only 45.46 in 1995
@@TheFinalLeg thanks, he was a favorite I remember watching for years in the leadup to Barcelona. He only ran 3rd at 91 Worlds and seemed to be peaking for Barcelona. A shame he didn’t run well there. But it’s not like he didn’t already have 2 Olympic medals from 1988 when plenty of more experienced U.S. runners would’ve killed for one