Quincy Hall Blazes To 400-Meter Gold With Come-From-Behind Victory, Kenneth Rooks Surprise Silver in 3,000-Meter Steeplechase

SAINT-DENIS, France — World No. 1 Quincy Hall surged and overtook Matthew Hudson-Smith over the final strides to win the men's 400-meter gold, clocking a sizzling time of 43.40 seconds.

The 26-year-old Hall ran the second fastest Olympic 400-meter time of all time, ahead of Michael Johnson’s 43.49 from the Olympic Games Atlanta 1996 and only second to Wayde van Niekert’s World and Olympic record of 43.03, set at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. It was a personal best time for Hall.

Hall nipped Great Britain’s Hudson-Smith by 0.04 seconds, on Wednesday night, at Stade de France. 

"This means a lot – I’ve been putting a lot of work in,” Hall said, after the biggest victory of his career. “I told you guys I was going to get a gold medal this year and I guess I just showed you I did,” he said, addressing journalists.

"I know I can win – I knew it today," Hall said. "That’s what I’ve been doing my whole career."

It was a last gasp effort by Hall that worked out well.

"I don’t give up. I just grit, I grind. I’ve got determination,” Hall said. “Anything I think will get me to that line, I think of it. A lot of hurt, a lot of pain.”

Hall became the first men’s U.S. 400-meter runner to race to gold since LaShawn Merritt at the Olympic Games Beijing 2008. Between 1984 and 2008, U.S. men had won seven consecutive gold medals in the event.

"For the next four years, I can say I’m an Olympic champion,” Hall said.

The race marked the second consecutive evening that a Team USA runner caught a British competitor at the last instant in dramatic fashion. The men’s 400m finale played out eerily similar to Cole Hocker overtaking Josh Kerr in the men’s 1,500-meter on Tuesday night.

The Gainesville, Florida, athlete added to his major championship medal collection having won gold in the men’s 4x400-meter relay and bronze in the open 400m at the 2023 World Athletics Championships.

Hall previously focused on the 400-meter hurdles – becoming the 2019 NCAA champion in the event – before a calculated switch to the open 400m.

"That decision changed my life,” he said.

Hall’s U.S. teammates, Christopher Bailey and Michael Norman, finished sixth and eighth, respectively.

Muzala Samukonga of Zambia took the bronze medal, 0.34 seconds behind Hall.

Kenneth Rooks was a surprise silver medalist in the men’s 3,000-meter steeplechase, closing out a successful evening three-medal night for Team USA at the Stade de France.

The 24-year-old from Provo, Utah, posted a personal best time of 8:06.41, 0.36 seconds behind gold medalist Soufiane El Bakkaali of Morocco. Rooks even led late in the race.

“I had a lot of confidence going in that I didn’t know exactly what my limit was,” Rooks said. “Just stay in the mix, give it everything that I had. 

“It was surreal to take the lead at the end and realise I might get a gold, but I’m glad I was able to fight for the silver,” he said. “It’s unreal, a dream. It’s been awesome to take it all in.”

Rooks significantly improved upon his previous best major event result, a 10th place finish at the Budapest 2023 world championships.

The previous U.S. men’s steeplechase medalist was Evan Jager, who also won silver at the Olympic Games Rio 2016. Prior to that, you have to go back to hte Olympic Games Los Angeles 1984, where Brian Diemer ran to bronze.

Rooks cherished his lengthy, well-deserved victory lap.

“I have lots of friends and family that have come out – it’s been fun,” he said. “Just spending some time with them here in Paris. It’s special to share that moment with them; my wife, my parents, my in-laws, my coach, everybody.

Rooks said that his confidence will only go up after Wednesday’s game-changing performance.

“With how I closed in that race, someone told me afterward that I ran a 57 or 58 (seconds) in the last lap,” he said. “If I can do that, I think I can probably run a little bit faster, which is exciting to know as well. 

“I’m excited for the future, but right now, I’m just appreciating the moment. This is just special.”