Quincy Wilson, the 16-year-old phenom from Bullis High in Maryland, got his first taste of the Olympic life sure to be his. It was a rude awakening for the young fella.

Wilson ran the opening leg of the 4×400 relay and shot out of the blocks in lane 4, and held his ground through the first 200 meters.

But it looked as if he went too hard, perhaps governed by the adrenaline and excitement of a debut on the biggest stage of his life.

The youngster started to die on the second turn and was struggling down the back stretch. The strength and experience he still needs was evident as the others started passing him.

Wilson gave it all he had and handed the baton to Vernon Norwood with American in next to last place. Wilson’s first leg was a 47.30 but the teenager wasn’t last! That title belonged to Trinidad and Tobago’s Renny Quow.

Wilson’s cohorts had his back, though.

Norwood immediately made up ground with a monster second leg. His 43.60 was the fastest of any leg in the first round, edging out Britain’s star quarter-miler Matthew Hudson-Smith’s 43.90. They were the only two under 44 seconds.

Then Bryce Deadmond took the baton from Norwood and won the third leg. But anchor Christopher Bailey still had work to do. He used a strong final 50-meter push to secure the No. 3 spot and America’s automatic qualifier in the final round.

Surely, upgrades will be made for the final. Quincy Hall, the fastest 400-runner in the world, figures to be in the mix.

Wilson, the burgeoning star, got some much-needed experience in his debut.