World bronze medallist Quincy Hall clips Michael Norman in 400m final at U.S. Trials with personal best effort
Quincy Hall already has a world medal to his name.
Now he's headed to the Olympic Games Paris 2024, too.
The 25-year-old ran a lifetime best 44.17 on Monday evening (24 June) at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials - track & field, inside Hayward Field in Eugene, Oregon, catching 2022 world champion Michael Norman in the final 100 metres, with Norman holding on for second in 44.41.
It's been just two years that Hall has competed in the 400m flat, having initially come up in the 400m hurdles. It's a switch that he made after the 2022 season, and one he said is now paying off.
"[This is] my first Olympic Trials... those first couple of years, doing the hurdles, I wasting time," he said. "I'm really in my event now. I'm having fun and I'm doing good things."
Hall said while he can't wait to get to Paris next month, he's most looking forward to getting home to his dogs (four of them) and horses, of which there are 20.
"I'm going to chill and go fishing and ride my horses when I get back home," the 25-year-old Missouri native said. "I don't really care about nothing else. No more track. Right now it's fishing and my dogs."
While Hall's dogs and horses won't join him and Norman in Paris, Chris Bailey, who out-leaned Vernon Norwood 44.42 to 44.47 will. It will be a first Olympics for Bailey, as well.
Sixteen-year-old Quincy Wilson finished sixth of nine finallists in 44.94.
Michael Norman: 400m is 'wide open' in Paris
Norman came into the meet saying that he had not out-right sprinted since February due to a series of injuries, but that he was confident his condition could qualify him for Paris. It nearly won him Trials, too.
Ahead after 300 metres, he faded just a touch, with only Hall able to pass him on the stretch as he held off Bailey and Norwood, both of whom finished within 0.06 seconds.
He'll head to Paris looking for redemption of sorts: He was fifth at Tokyo 2020 in 2021.
The 26-year-old says he sees the event as "wide open" at the Games.
"Honestly, it could be anyone's game," Norman told reporters. "And it just depends on how somebody executes the race. Regardless if you're viewed as the favourite or it's wide open, everybody has the same ambition at the beginning."
Bahamian Steven Gardiner is the reigning Olympic champion in the 400m, while Wayde van Niekerk of South Africa, the Rio 2016 champ and world record holder, has had a resurgence of confidence this season.
"I respect them, but I always want to beat them," Norman said of the two, throwing in London 2012 champion Kirani James' name, as well. "I have high respect for them.
"But when it comes to racing, it's just race mentality."