Former Gamecocks track national champion headed to Summer Olympics
Former South Carolina standout Quincy Hall is headed to the Summer Olympics.
Hall earned a spot on the United States Track and Field squad by finishing first in the 400-meter dash on Monday night in Oregon. His time of 44.17 was a personal best and fastest run by an American in the event this year.
Michael Norman was second and Chris Bailey was third. The top three finishers in the qualifying event earned a spot for the Olympics, which begin July 26 in Paris.
Norman was in the lead before Hall passed him late in the race.
“To get home son. That is all I told myself,” Hall said during the NBC interview following the race. “That’s the dog in me.”
Sixteen-year-old Quincy Wilson was sixth in the race but still will be a candidate for the Olympics in the 4x400 relay team.
This is Hall’s first Olympic appearance. Hall had the top speed in Sunday’s semifinals with a time of 44.42. After the race, Hall told reporters he will take some time off, spend time with his dodgs and horses then starting focusing on the Olympics.
“I can’t wait to get there (Paris),” Hall said. “I will probably get there early, get to train and get acclimated.”
Hall won the 400 meters at the 2024 BAUHAUS-galan in Stockholm earlier this month. He was third in the 400 meters at last year’s USA Outdoor Track and Field Championships.
The 25-year-old Hall ran for the Gamecocks in 2019-20 after spending two years at College of the Sequoias in Visalia, Calif. He won a NCAA Outdoors Nationals Championship in the 400 hurdles in 2019.
Hall didn’t get a chance to defend his title because COVID cut short the 2020 outdoor season. Before that, he was named an All-American during the 2020 indoor season.
This story was originally published June 24, 2024 at 10:04 PM.
