Quincy Hall comes from behind in the 400 and wins Olympic gold for the U.S. – ESPN
Anish Anands
ESPN News Services
Aug 8, 2024, 01:34 AM
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SAINT-DENIS France -SAINT-DENIS, France – Quincy Hall became the latest American to ignite Olympic track and field, with an unexpected comeback on Wednesday night, sprinting from behind in the 400m to snare three runners and take home the silver medal.
Hall who was found in fourth place when the runners came around the final bend, sped past the other runner on his left and then two more on the inside, completing the finish line within 43.40 seconds, which was the fourth fastest time ever. He then walked onto the track to make snow angels in celebration of his win.
“I’ve got determination,” Hall declared. “That’s what got me to that line. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain.”
Hall defeated Matthew Hudson-Smith from Britain by .04 seconds. This is the fifth fastest time in the history of speed – and Muzala Samukonga from Zambia placed third in bronze.
Hall was the only American after LaShawn Merritt’s win in 2008 take home gold in the race that is only one lap long. Hall’s victory came following the time that American Cole Hocker came from from the lead in the final seconds to defeat the favourites in the men’s 1,500 meter race.
Add Noah Lyles, whose only advantage on his 100-meter sprint was when he finished And these Americans are becoming quite the comeback youngsters.
Hall’s victory came just half an hour later. Lyles was able to make it in the final 200m despite being second to Letsile Tebogo during his semi-final. Lyles will compete in the final on Thursday.
Hall the 26-year-old woman who breeds dogs and enjoys riding horses, stepped off the track in the race that is all about speed. And most of the time the issue is that it’s running too fast and too soon.
He was five meters behind Hudson-Smith and the 2012 champion Kirani James and Kirani James, both to his left. He was also on the right when they came around the last curve, he was taking ground from Jareem Richards on his right to what appeared to be a thrilling fight to win bronze.
At the end of the day, James and Richards were just a couple of thoughts, Hall was thrusting his chest to take on his opponent. Brit and Samukonga came the bushes to win third place.
“I just won. It’s over,” Hall declared. “Next four years, I can say I’m Olympic champion.”
On the track, too, Soufiane El Bakkali defended his win in the steeplechase for men of 3,000 meters for the first time in Morocco’s history of winning a medal at the Games.
El Bakkali clocked a time of 8 minutes and 6.05 seconds and became the only back-toback winners of the race following Finland’s Volmari Iso-Hollo in 1932 as well as 1936.
American Kenneth Rooks ran a personal record of 8:06.41 to claim the silver medal. the Kenyan Abraham Kibiwot claimed bronze.
Rooks was leading heading to the home stretch and was hoping to create a huge surprise however, El Bakkali overtook him. Rooks nevertheless overcame his personal record by about 9 seconds and took home the silver medal for the third time in three Olympics in the race for America.
Ethiopian world record holder Lamecha Girma suffered a late tumble after he struck one of the barrier. He fell hard on the track, and was carried off on stretchers.
Prior to that the Jamaican Roje Stona was awarded the gold medal in the men’s discus event with a throw that was Olympic-record 70 meters. He beat Lithuania’s Mykolas Alekna who is the world record holder who had wanted to follow the footsteps of his father to become an Olympic champion.
The 21-year-old Alekna who’s throw of 69.97 meters surpassed the mark set by his father but had have to accept silver while the Australian Matthew Denny, who finished fourth in Tokyo was awarded the bronze.
In the women’s pole vault, the Australian Nina Kennedy soared to the gold medal after breaking the bar with a height of 4.90 meters to surpass American Katie Moon, who took home the gold medal in Tokyo and also shared the victory with Kennedy at the world championships in this year’s edition.
Moon completed 4.85 meters to earn the silver medal, while Canada’s Alysha Newman was able to jump over the same distance, however was given bronze because of the fact that she missed a few jumps.
Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.