American runners are refusing to quit in Paris.
Quincy Hall became the latest U.S. runner to score an Olympic gold medal with a ridiculous comeback in the 400 meters on Wednesday.
The 26-year-old sprinted from fourth to first over the final 30 meters in a stunning finish in Saint-Denis, passing Jereem Richards of Trinidad and Tobago before overtaking Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith and Muzala Samukonga of Zambia en route to the fourth-fastest finish time ever, 43:40.
An overview shows US’ Quincy Hall (8) crossing the finish line ahead of Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith (6) in the men’s 400m final. AFP via Getty Images“I just won,” Hall told reporters. “It’s over. Next four years, I can say I’m Olympic champion.”
Hall’s victory came just .04 seconds ahead of Hudson-Smith’s second-place finish, with the Brit’s 43.44-second time now the fifth-fastest ever, both behind world-record holder Wayde van Niekerk (43.03), Michael Johnson (43.18) and Butch Reynolds (43.29).
The former South Carolina sprinter fell to the track and celebrated by doing a snow angel.
His scintillating win comes a day after Cole Hocker secured a gold for the Americans with a come-from-behind shocker in the men’s 1500.
On Sunday, Noah Lyles rebounded from a slow start, coming all the way back from seventh position to take home top prize in the 100 meters with a photo finish in which he threw his torso over the line to edge out Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just 0.005 seconds.
With his fast-and-furious rally, Hall became the U.S.’s first Olympic 400m winner since LaShawn Merritt in 2008.
Hall, who appeared to be grimacing as he began his comeback, dug deep to make it happen.
“I told you guys I was going to get a gold medal this year and I guess I just showed you I did it,” Hall said. “I know I can win. I knew it today. That’s what I’ve been doing my whole career. I don’t give up. I just grit, I grind. I’ve got determination. Anything I think will get me to that line, I think of it. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain.”
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Quincy Hall of Team United States celebrates winning the gold medal after competing in the Men’s 400m Final. Getty ImagesThe 2019 NCAA 400m hurdles champion with the Gamecocks, Hall shifted his focus to the flat track in 2023 — a call, in hindsight, worth its weight in gold.
“That decision changed my life,” he said.
He came into the Paris Games with the fastest 400 time of the year, a 43.80 mark he set at a Diamond League meet in July — and in a high-profile spat with Lyles, who that same month said he would have placed himself on the United States 4×100 relay team instead of Hall.
Quincy Hall celebrating after winning the men’s 400m final. AFP via Getty ImagesLyles will run in the 200m finale for a shot at his second gold of the Games on Thursday after finishing second in his semifinal heat.
For Hudson-Smith, who was close enough to taste what would have been the first global gold of his injury-plagued career, it was a bittersweet outcome after an eighth-place finish in 2016.
“Sometimes the journey is better than the outcome. My time is going to come,” he said. “I can’t describe the feelings, they are so mixed. I was so close to getting the gold. I got an area record and PB. I am so grateful to have everyone that came to watch me. It has been a crazy journey. I am just going to keep building.”






