Nigeria’s Samuel Ogazi finished in seventh place as Quincy Hall delivered a dramatic late surge to secure the United States’ first Olympic gold in the 400 metres since 2008.
Hall overtook Briton Matthew Hudson-Smith, who was poised to win his country’s first gold in the event since Eric Liddell’s 1924 victory in “Chariots of Fire.” Hudson-Smith, who had been leading, faltered at the finish, allowing Hall to clinch gold with a personal best time of 43.40 seconds.
This victory marks the U.S.’s first 400 metres gold since LaShawn Merritt’s win in Beijing.
Hudson-Smith set a new European record with 43.44 to claim silver, while Zambia’s Muzala Samukonga, at 21, set his second consecutive national record with a time of 43.74 to earn bronze.
Hall, who took bronze behind Jamaica’s Antonio Watson and Hudson-Smith at last year’s world championship, looked out of contention coming into the final straight a distant fourth as the long-striding Hudson-Smith seemed on course for a first global gold of an injury-plagued career.
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He was still well adrift heading into the last 30 metres but somehow found the energy to drive past everyone and become the fourth-fastest man over the distance, behind world record holder Wayde van Niekerk (43.03), Michael Johnson (43.18) and Butch Reynolds (43.29). Hudson-Smith is now fifth.
Fourth-placed Jereem Richards set a Trinidad and Tobago national record of 43.78 and former Olympic champion Kirani James in fifth was also under 44 seconds in 43.87.
“Sometimes the journey is better than the outcome,” said Hudson-Smith, who has world silver and bronze and now Olympic silver to his name. “My time is going to come.”
U.S. athletes have now won 19 gold, 13 silver and 11 bronze for 38 medals in the event. Britain are next with two golds and eight medals in all.
