In a dramatic conclusion to the men's 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith narrowly missed out on gold, finishing just four-hundredths of a second behind American Quincy Hall. Hudson-Smith, who entered the race as the fastest man in the world for 2024, set a new European record with a time of 43.44 seconds, but it was Hall's personal best of 43.40 seconds that earned him the top spot on the podium.
Hudson-Smith's silver medal marks the first time in 28 years that a Briton has reached the men's 400m podium at the Olympics. The 29-year-old from Wolverhampton held the lead entering the home straight, but Hall's sensational late surge saw him overtake Hudson-Smith in the final moments.
This near-miss is reminiscent of Hudson-Smith's close call at the World Championships last year, where he finished just 0.09 seconds away from the gold. Despite the heartbreak, Hudson-Smith's performance in Paris was another testament to his resilience, following a challenging three-year period that saw him overcome significant personal and professional hurdles to claim world bronze in 2022.
Reflecting on his silver medal, Hudson-Smith expressed both pride and determination. "It is just the start really. Time to build," he told BBC Sport. "I'm healthy. My time is going to come, it is only a matter of time."
The race was historic for more reasons than one, as five athletes ran under 44 seconds in the same race for the first time in history. Zambian 21-year-old Muzala Samukonga took the bronze with a time of 43.74 seconds, capping off a thrilling and closely contested final.
While Hudson-Smith came agonizingly close to becoming Great Britain's first male Olympic 400m champion since Eric Liddell's iconic victory 100 years ago, his outstanding performance in Paris has solidified his place among the world's elite in the sport.
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