Milton, Quincy Hall’s brother, was astounded by his sibling’s thrilling late comeback to clinch the gold medal in the 400-meter final at the Olympics in Paris.
In a post-race interview on Wednesday evening, Milton expressed immense pride for Quincy, alongside friends and family who hoped the US sprinter could hear their cheers all the way from their home in the Kansas City, MO region.
Wearing a Royals baseball cap, Milton shared with Fox 4NewsKC: ‘Oh man, this is just incredible! This has been 18 years in the making, you don’t even know. [Mom] Miss Iecia and Quincy Hall have put in the work, man.
‘I keep saying ”Oh man…” God is good. [Quincy] did this for his best friend, Brandon. He did it for Rasheed. He did it for his uncle Tony. He did it for everyone, man.
‘This is such a blessing, dog. Right? God… Quincy, I love you, dog!’
Quincy Hall’s brother Milton described the US sprinter’s 400m final win in Paris as a ‘blessing’
Hall won the race by 0.04 seconds, as Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith came second in Paris
Hall executed a stunning recovery, overtaking three runners in the final stretch of the 400-meter final, securing yet another breathtaking victory for his nation at the Stade de France.
He clocked a time of 43.40 seconds, narrowly defeating Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith by 0.04 seconds; they are now ranked as the fourth and fifth fastest men in history at this distance.
‘That was unbelievable, man. There’s a reason I have all these coaches here; they all played a role in this victory,’ Milton remarked about his brother’s comeback win.
‘Seeing that moment was emotional… when [Quincy] dropped that neck, he said, ”Get to work.” He said ”Get home, son” for a reason. He said ”I’m that dog” for a reason.
‘We’re barking in the background for a reason. That’s that dog, come on now,’ Milton added, barking again while showing signs of emotion.
‘2024 Olympic champion Quincy Hall. A Kansas City, Missouri native. […] I just wish I could have been there to witness it. Put the cameras on someone else.’
Hall’s exhilarating push came shortly after American Cole Hocker made headlines in the men’s 1500 by coming from behind to claim victory over the favorites.
Alongside Noah Lyles, whose only advantage in his thrilling 100-meter race came the moment he crossed the finish line, it’s clear that American athletes are excelling in track events at these Olympics.
Hall had a slow start but made a late comeback to have an edge over Hudson-Smith (far right)
‘I have determination,’ Hall expressed. ‘That’s what propelled me to that finish line. There was a lot of hurt, a lot of pain.’
This victory occurred just an hour after Lyles advanced to the final of the 200m after finishing second to Letsile Tebogo in his semifinal. Lyles is set to compete for the gold on Thursday.
Things weren’t looking good for Hall, a 26-year-old South Carolina standout who also breeds dogs, as the eight sprinters approached the final curve.
He trailed by around 5 meters behind Hudson-Smith and 2012 champion Kirani James, both to his left, while Hall began to make up ground on Jareem Richards to his outside. It appeared this would result in a solid showdown for the bronze.
With his arms driving low and wide and his head bobbing in rhythm, Hall surged past them all, then leaned forward to narrowly beat the Brit. He collapsed on the ground, playfully scissor-kicking his arms and legs—like making snow angels on the warm purple track.
‘I just focused on what my coach taught me, keep driving and pushing to get home,’ Hall shared.
Hall, a 26-year-old who starred at South Carolina, also breeds dogs in his time away from track
Hall needed a moment to savor his victory by laying on the track after his 400m final conquest
Amidst that excitement, Samukonga from Zambia surged from behind to claim the third place.
Hall marks the first American to win gold in the one-lap race since LaShawn Merritt in 2008, joining the ranks of legendary sprinters like Michael Johnson, Jeremy Wariner, and Lee Evans in a sport that the USA has long excelled in.
‘I was aware these guys would try to throw off my timing,’ he stated.
Ultimately, that tactic did not work on him.
Upon crossing the finish line, the new champion reacted: ‘I just won. It’s done. For the next four years, I can proudly say I’m an Olympic champion.’
