Saint-Denis, France – Quincy Hall delivered a spectacular performance on Wednesday night, becoming the latest American to make waves in Olympic track and field. Hall sprinted from behind to capture the gold medal in the 400 meters, showcasing an extraordinary comeback that left the audience stunned.
Starting the race in fourth place as the runners approached the final bend, Hall managed to surge past his competitors. He overtook the runner on his outside and then passed two more on the inside, crossing the finish line in 43.40 seconds. This time is not only impressive but is also the fourth-fastest ever recorded in the event’s history. After crossing the line, Hall celebrated his victory by dropping to the track and making snow angels, embodying the joy and relief of his hard-fought win.
“I’ve got determination,” Hall said, reflecting on his race. “That’s what got me to that line. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain.”
Hall narrowly defeated Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith by just 0.04 seconds. Hudson-Smith’s time of 43.44 seconds is now the fifth-fastest in history. Muzala Samukonga of Zambia claimed the bronze, finishing in third place.
Hall’s Historic Victory
Quincy Hall’s victory marks a significant achievement for American athletics, as he is the first American to win gold in the 400 meters since LaShawn Merritt in 2008. His performance was reminiscent of American Cole Hocker’s recent triumph in the men’s 1500 meters, where he also staged a comeback to defeat the favourites.
Adding to the excitement of the evening, Noah Lyles advanced to the 200-meter final despite finishing second in his semifinal heat to Letsile Tebogo. Lyles, whose dramatic victory in the 100 meters saw him leading only at the finish line, is set to compete for the gold medal on Thursday.
Hall, a 26-year-old athlete with a passion for breeding dogs and riding horses, appeared to be out of the running early in the race. The 400 meters is known for its demanding pace, and athletes often face the risk of starting too quickly and burning out. Initially, Hall was 5 meters behind both Hudson-Smith and the 2012 Olympic champion, Kirani James. However, as they rounded the final curve, Hall made his move, gaining ground on Jareem Richards to his outside in what initially appeared to be a battle for the bronze.
In the end, James and Richards became mere afterthoughts as Hall thrust his chest across the finish line, securing his victory. Samukonga also mounted an impressive comeback to take third place.
“I just won. It’s over,” Hall said, reflecting on his accomplishment. “For the next four years, I can say I’m Olympic champion.”
Other Notable Performances
In other track events on Wednesday, Soufiane El Bakkali defended his title in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, earning Morocco its first medal of the Games. El Bakkali’s time of 8 minutes and 6.05 seconds made him the first back-to-back winner of this event since Finland’s Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1932 and 1936.
American athlete Kenneth Rooks achieved a personal best of 8:06.41 to claim the silver medal, while Kenya’s Abraham Kibiwot took bronze. Rooks had led the race heading into the final stretch and seemed poised for an upset victory, but El Bakkali’s late surge secured his win. Despite not clinching gold, Rooks’s performance was remarkable as he beat his personal best by nearly 9 seconds.
Ethiopian world record holder Lamecha Girma suffered a setback after a fall, landing hard on the track and being carried off on a stretcher.
In the men’s discus, Jamaica’s Roje Stona won gold with an Olympic-record throw of 70 meters, defeating world record holder Mykolas Alekna of Lithuania, who took silver. Alekna, at 21, surpassed his father’s mark with a throw of 69.97 meters. Australia’s Matthew Denny, who finished fourth in Tokyo, claimed the bronze medal.
In the women’s pole vault, Australia’s Nina Kennedy won gold by clearing 4.90 meters, edging out American Katie Moon, the Tokyo gold medalist. Moon cleared 4.85 meters to secure silver, while Canada’s Alysha Newman also cleared 4.85 meters but received bronze due to more missed jumps.
