Hall edges Hudson-Smith to gold in thrilling 400m final

Quincy Hall set a new personal best as he claimed the gold medal in the men's 400m final ahead of Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith.

Hudson-Smith held the lead coming in to the home straight, but the line would not come quickly enough as Hall powered from third place to emerge victorious.

The American registered a new personal best with a time of 43.40 in Paris, beating Hudson-Smith by four-hundredths of a second.

Hudson-Smith improved his own European record to 43.44 seconds, but it will prove to be little consolation for the 29-year-old who missed out on that elusive gold medal by the finest of margins.

The British Athlete's time is the fifth-fastest on record, with only Hall (43.40 in 2024), Butch Reynolds (43.29 in 1964), Michael Johnson (43.18 in 1999) and Wayde van Niekerk (43.03 in 1992) going quicker.

"Sometimes the journey is better than the outcome, and it has been a hell of a journey," Hudson-Smith told BBC Sport.

"I am just grateful. It's an Olympic silver and not many people can say that. I am just happy and grateful - this is just the start."

Muzala Samukonga of Zambia would complete the podium with a time of 43.74.

WHAT. A. FINISH. 's @QuincyHall400 is the Olympic 400m champion with 43.40‼️ #Paris2024 #Olympics pic.twitter.com/q9JpuMoe5J

— World Athletics (@WorldAthletics) August 7, 2024