Kansas City’s very own Quincy Hall is coming home from the 2024 Paris Olympics with a Gold Medal around his neck after winning the 400-meter men’s race with a time of 43.40 seconds.
The Raytown South High School graduate was the first Kansas City area Olympian to bring home a Gold Medal since 2000, when Maurice Greene raced 100 meters down a Sydney, Australia track in 9.87 seconds to become the World’s Fastest Man.
Hall, who won state championships in the 400m in 2015 and 2016, won his Gold Medal at the Olympics in dramatic fashion. After falling back from a podium spot, Hall shifted into another gear to grind his way into the lead just before crossing the finish line to earn his first Olympic medal.
Hall attended the College of the Sequoias in California before winning an NCAA championship in 400m hurdles at the University of South Carolina. After seven straight gold medals by Americans in the 400m from 1984 to 2008, the U.S. hadn’t previously won that event since 2008 until Hall’s comeback victory.
Other Kansas City area Olympians included Derrick Mein and Rachel Tozier of the USA trapshooting team. Mein made it to the final of the men’s trap, but missed a spot at the podium after finishing fifth. Tozier did not make it out of the qualifying round of women’s trap. Lastly, pole vaulter Chris Nilsen was unable to follow up his 2020 Silver Medal as he failed to advance from the qualifying round in Paris.
Kansas City Sports Magazine 