Never count Quincy Hall out.
The Team USA track and field athlete left everyone in shock at the 2024 Paris Olympics after a stunning come-from-behind finish during the men's 400-meter finals to take home gold Aug. 7.
As the eight finalists made their way around the track, Quincy mostly lingered in fourth place. However, around the 300-meter mark, he surged to the front of the heat, finishing first with a time of 43.40 seconds. Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith earned silver and Zambia's Muzala Samukonga won bronze.
"I have never seen anyone run the 400-meter like that," NBC Olympics track and field commentator and Olympian Sanya Richards-Ross explained during the livestream. "Around the turn, he looked like he was in a world of hurt. He was grimacing coming off the turn. He was in fourth position and then he found something deep!"
Quincy became the first American to win gold in the 400m since the 2008 Beijing Games—LaShawn Merritt took home the title—and his time during this year's competition was the fifth-fastest ever in the event.
“As long as I can start the race, I know I can finish,” the 26-year-old told reporters after the race. “You can’t outrun a dog. A dog will chase you forever.”
After his killer performance, fans couldn’t help but gush over the monumental win. One commenter wrote on Instagram, “That guy gave his all out on the track was a spectacular performance.” Another added, “That last bit he gave to win is called heart!”
But for the athlete—who is also a dad to daughters Avery, 7, and A'Lani, 2—finding that rush to get past the finish line meant clearing his mind and concentrating on what matters.
"I just let a lot of stuff go that was a distraction and I focused on myself," he reflected. "When I let go of everything, I stopped losing. I'm focusing on myself, focusing on my daughters, focusing on my animals and seeing where that takes me out there."
And while he was making his way down the last 100 meters of the race, Quincy shared during the post-race press conference that it was his coach's advice that rang through his mind: "Just keep driving, keep driving, get home."
Now, keep reading for more of Team USA's gold medal winners.
Team USA
Women's Basketball
Jennifer Valente
Cycling Track - Women's Omnium
Masai Russell
Athletics - Women's 100m Hurdles
Team USA
Men's Basketball
Chris Bailey, Vernon Norwood, Rai Benjamin & Bryce Deadmon
Athletics - Men's 4 x 400m Relay
Team USA
Women's Football
Gabby Thomas, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, Alexis Holmes & Shamier Little
Athletics - Women's 4 x 400m Relay
Rai Benjamin
Athletics - Men's 400m Hurdles
Olivia Reeves
Weightlifting - Women's 71kg
Melissa Jefferson, Twanisha Terry, Gabby Thomas & Sha'Carri Richardson
Athletics - Women's 4 x 100m Relay
Grant Holloway
Athletics - Men's 110m Hurdles
Tara Davis-Woodhall
Athletics - Women's Long Jump
Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone
Athletics - Women's 400m Hurdles
Sarah Hildebrandt
Wrestling - Women's Freestyle 50kg
Jennifer Valente, Lily Williams, Chloe Dygert & Kristen Faulkner
Cycling Track - Women's Team Pursuit
Quincy Hall
Athletics - Men's 400m
Gabby Thomas
Athletics - Women's 200m
Amit Elor
Wrestling - Women's Freestyle 68kg
Cole Hocker
Athletics - Men's 1500m
Caroline Marks
Women's Surfing
Valarie Allman
Athletics - Women's Discus
Noah Lyles
Athletics - Men's 100m
Regan Smith, Lilly King, Gretchen Walsh & Torri Huske
Swimming - Women's 4x100m Medley Relay
Bobby Finke
Swimming - Men's 1500m Freestyle
Kristen Faulkner
Cycling - Women's Road Race
Scottie Scheffler
Golf - Men's Individual Stroke Play
Vincent Hancock
Shooting - Men's Skeet
Ryan Crouser
Athletics - Men's Shot Put
Katie Ledecky
Swimming - Women's 800m Freestyle
Ryan Murphy, Torri Huske Gretchen Walsh & Nic Fink
Swimming - Mixed 4x100m Medley Relay