In a thrilling race at the Olympics, Quincy Hall produced an incredible late surge to claim the 400m gold medal, marking the United States’ first victory in the event since 2008. Hall’s triumph came at the expense of Briton Matthew Hudson-Smith, who seemed on track to win his country’s first gold in the distance since Eric Liddell in the 1924 Paris Games.
Hudson-Smith, who set a new European record of 43.44 seconds, faltered in the final stretch, allowing Hall to sweep past him and take the gold in a personal best time of 43.40 seconds. The race saw Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga secure bronze with a national record of 43.74 seconds.
Hall, who had previously secured bronze at the 2022 World Championships, looked out of contention as Hudson-Smith led the race. However, Hall found a surge of energy in the final 30 meters, overtaking all his competitors to become the fourth-fastest man in the event’s history, trailing only world record holder Wayde van Niekerk, Michael Johnson, and Butch Reynolds.
Despite the disappointment of missing out on gold, Hudson-Smith remained optimistic. “Sometimes the journey is better than the outcome,” he said, “My time is going to come.” The race saw a strong showing from other athletes, with Jereem Richards setting a Trinidad and Tobago national record of 43.78 seconds and former Olympic champion Kirani James finishing fifth in 43.87 seconds.
The US has now won 19 gold, 13 silver, and 11 bronze medals in the 400m, totaling 38 medals. Britain stands second with two golds and eight medals overall.
