In a thrilling display of speed and determination, American runner Quincy Hall claimed the gold medal in the Olympic 400m race, staging a stunning comeback in the final stretch. Hall, who trailed the field for most of the race, surged forward with incredible power, overtaking three competitors to cross the finish line first, CBS News reports.
Hall, buried in fourth place as the runners rounded the last bend, outran the runner on his outside, then two more to the inside to cross the line in 43.40 seconds, the fourth-fastest time ever.
Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith took silver, finishing in 43.44 seconds and Muzala Samukonga of Zambia won bronze, finishing in 43.74 seconds.
Hall celebrated his improbable comeback by collapsing on the track and making a snow angel motion.
“I’ve got determination. That’s what got me to that line. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain,” Hall said.
Hall is the first American since LaShawn Merritt in 2008 to capture gold in the one-lap race. His victory came an evening after American Cole Hocker came from far behind late to beat the favorites in the men’s 1,500.
Hall, the 26-year-old who breeds dogs and loves riding horses, looked out of the running in a race that’s all about pace and, more often than not, the problem is going too fast too soon.
He was 5 meters behind Hudson-Smith and 2012 champion Kirani James, both to his left, and as they rounded the final curve, and was making up ground on Jareem Richards to his outside for what looked like would be a good battle for bronze.
By the end, James and Richards were afterthoughts, Hall was thrusting his chest at the line to beat the Brit and Samukonga had also come from out of nowhere to take third.
The new champ’s reaction when he crossed the line:
“I just won. It’s over. Next four years, I can say I’m Olympic champion.”
Wednesday’s Olympic track and field qualifying rounds delivered a series of unexpected twists and turns. In one men’s 5,000m heat, a four-man pileup added a chaotic element to the competition. A cameraman’s accidental intrusion into another event provided a humorous interlude, while the high jump saw defending co-champions face a challenging situation.
