Olympic Track Aug. 7 Evening Recap: Quincy Hall Wins 400m Gold

For the first time since 2008, an American man won gold over 400m, while Kenneth Rooks made a gutsy move at the bell to bring home silver in the 3k steeple.

Aug 8, 2024 by Maxx Bradley

Olympic Track Aug. 7 Evening Recap: Quincy Hall Wins 400m Gold

There must be something in the water in Paris, because over the past few days we've seen incredible finishes that have resulted in Olympic hardware for the Americans.

Tonight's evening session was no different, as the crowded women's pole vault final, 400m and 3,000m steeplechase all went down to the wire and secured podiums for the Americans.

Quincy Hall Surges Late For Gold, Edges Out Matthew Hudson-Smith

In one of the greatest performances in world history over 400m, American Quincy Hall chased down Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith over the last 50m of the race.

In a huge personal best, Hall moved from fourth to fifth over the last 100m -- clocking a final 100m split of 11.59 seconds -- and won the U.S. gold for the first time since 2008. Hall's performance of 43.40 is now third-best in U.S. history, only behind Michael Johnson and Butch Reynolds.

Hudson-Smith lowered his own British record by nearly almost one-third of a second.

Zambia's Muzala Samukonga won bronze as he broke his own national record, running 43.74. Trinidad and Tobago's Jereem Richards was fourth in a new national record of 43.78.

2022 World Champion Michael Norman faded late, finishing in eighth.

Aussie Nina Kennedy Outlasts 19-Woman Field, Wins Pole Vault

In what was the largest field ever assembled in the Olympic women's pole vault final, it was Australia's Nina Kennedy who was victorious in the end.

Kennedy, who finished 22nd in the first round in Tokyo 2020, had just one miss at her first six heights, clearing everything but 4.70m with one attempt. Kennedy's first-time clearance of 4.90m was enough to seal the deal.

Defending Olympic gold medalist Katie Moon won silver after missing once at 4.90m, and then twice after moving up to 4.95m in an attempt to overtake Kennedy.

Canada's Alysha Newman won bronze, clearing 4.85m, a new Canadian record.

Soufiane El Bakkali Goes Back-To-Back; Kenneth Rooks' Bold Move Produces Silver

The men's 3,000m steeplechase final produced one of the best races we've seen in recent memory, as Morocco's Soufiane El Bakkali came away with a season best of 8:06.05 and his second consecutive Olympic gold.

Taking a page out of Courtney Frerichs' play book from Tokyo 2020, American Kenneth Rooks made the gutsiest move of his life, taking the lead at the bell, which separated him from the field.

Rooks navigated the final three barriers to hold on for silver, becoming just the second American man to make it on the podium since 1984 and joining Evan Jager, who found silver in 2016.

Kenya's Abraham Kibiwot ran a season best to win bronze, crossing in 8:06.47.

In the midst of all of the excitement, world record-holder and defending silver-medalist Lamecha Girma hit the last barrier before the water jump, hitting the ground hard.

Grant Holloway Leads 110mH Qualifiers In 12.98; All Three Americans Go Through

The second-fastest man in history was all business in the semifinals, running away with the only sub-13 clocking of the day in 12.98.

Spain's Enrique Llopis was back in second in 13.17, while defending Olympic champion Hansle Parchment was third in 13.19.

Jamaica's Rasheed Broadbell and American Freddie Crittenden took both spots in their respective semifinal, running 13.21 and 13.23.

The last heat was also a Jamaican and and American, with Orlando Bennett and Daniel Roberts nearly even in 13.09 and 13.10. Parchment and Japan's Rachid Muratake both earned time qualifiers.

Warholm, Benjamin & dos Santo Make It Back To Final

For whatever reason, the first of three semifinal heats in the men's 400mH had two of the three fastest hurdlers of all time, with Norwegian world record holder Karsten Warholm and Brazil's Alison dos Santos both on the line.

Warholm took the first spot after winning the heat in 47.67, with Clement Ducos giving the home crowd an electric finish to move past dos Santos for the second automatic spot in 47.85 -- dos Santos had to find his fate later after all the heats were finished.

The last heat may have had the best performer of the second round, with defending silver medalist Rai Benjamin running a smooth 47.85.

dos Santos and Qatar's Abderrahman Samba snagged both time qualifiers.

All Three Americans Advance To 200m Final

Defending silver-medalist Kenny Bednarek (USA) continues his bounce back from his seventh-place finish in the 100m, staying perfect through both his rounds in the 200m.

He ran 20.00 ahead of Alexander Ogando's (DOM), while defending gold medalist Andre De Grasse (CAN) finished third and did not get in on time.

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo won the second semifinal over 100m gold medalist Noah Lyles, with the pair clocking 19.96 and 20.08.

Zimbabwe's Makanakaishe Charamba finished third in 20.31, which was the second of two time qualifiers

American Erriyon Knighton and Liberia's Joseph Fanbulleh took the last two automatic qualifiers in the final heat, running 20.09 and 20.12, while Zimbabwe's Tapiwanashe Makarawu ran 20.16 for a time qualifier.

Six Women Run Under 50 Seconds In 400m Semifinal

Despite two-time defending Olympic champion Shaunae Miller-Uibo not being at full strength in Paris, Salwa Eid Naser and Marileidy Paulino are putting on a show, as they both won their respective semifinal heats in 49.08 and 49.21.

In total, six women dipped below 50 seconds in the second round.

Poland's Natalia Kaczmarek won the third and final heat in 49.45. Alexis Holmes was the lone American to qualify for the final, running 50.0 for second in her heat.

World leader and the seventh-fastest in world history Nickisha Pryce did not advance.

Roje Stona Breaks Olympic Record; World Record Holder Alekna Takes Silver

On just his second throw of the competition, Lithuanian world record-holder Mykolas Alekna threw a competition lead of 69.97, breaking his father's Olympic record of 69.98 from 20 years ago.

Just a few throws later, Jamaica's Roje Stona threw nearly four meters farther than his first three attempts, inching past Alekna into the gold medal position. That winnning mark of 70.00 meters was a new Olympic record.

Australia's Matthew Denny won bronze with a throw of 69.31m, while defending Olympic champion Daniel Stahl of Sweden was seventh.

Defending Champion Pedro Pichardo Leads Triple Jump Qualifiers; Salif Mane The Lone American

With only four men meeting the automatic qualification standard of 17.10m, the rest of the field had to battle it out for eight spots.

The first flight saw Spain's Jordan Alejandro Diaz Fortun and Burkina Faso's Hugues Fabrice Zango advance to the final after just one jump.

American Salif Mane joined Pichardo in the second flight, both earning their spot in the final in a single jump.

Jamaica's Jaydon Hibbert, who has the third best mark in the world this year, finished third in the second flight, making it through to the final.

When Are The Paris 2024 Olympic Games?

The Olympics begin on July 26 and end on August 11. The track and field events will begin on Aug. 1.

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