“I almost got it,” Matt Hudson-Smith muttered after a heart-wrenching loss to Quincy Hall at the Paris Olympics. The British sprinter, celebrated for his record-breaking speed, finally broke his silence on the defeat that left him shattered. Hudson-Smith, a strong contender in the 400m, had been poised for glory, but the race took an unexpected turn, leaving him visibly frustrated and struggling to process the outcome. After the race, he was so consumed by disappointment that he ignored reporters’ questions, opting to sit in silence, eating quietly instead of addressing the world.

Hudson-Smith’s sprint for Olympic gold had turned into an agonizing chase, with Hall surging past him in the final meters, snatching away the dream he had worked so hard for. The bitter taste of defeat lingered as he grappled with the heartbreak of watching his challenge slip through his fingers. Later, he took to X to post a heartfelt apology, explaining his reaction as “pure emotion.” The sting of defeat was intensified by the fact that he had thrown down the gauntlet to Hall, who ultimately claimed the gold. Now, Hudson-Smith is opening up about the pain and the difficult road ahead as he works to come to terms with what could have been.

Matt Hudson-Smith on the heartbreak of losing Olympic gold to Quincy Hall

Recently, Wanda Diamond League shared an interview with Matt Hudson-Smith, captioned, “I said that if someone is going to win it, they will have to take it from me. Quincy took that literally.” 😂 @mattonthefloor on narrowly missing out on Olympic gold in a hugely competitive men’s 400m. #LausanneDL #DiamondLeague.” After staying silent post-defeat and disappearing during the interview session, Hudson-Smith finally opened up. He expressed frustration over Quincy Hall snatching the gold, even though he was close to winning. Reflecting on his approach, Hudson-Smith shared, “I think, after London Diamond League, when I started to slow down… my coach was like, show them a little bit, but don’t show them a lot. Like, just to like, you know, like a tester.”

Hudson-Smith admitted he felt the pressure to hold back in the Diamond League, using it as a strategic move. However, not showing his full potential may have backfired. He continued, “So, we were a little bit… we weren’t surprised, because when we did our training session, it kind of indicated the shape we were in.” While he wasn’t shocked by the outcome, it surprised him how easy it seemed when they analyzed the splits. Further, reflecting on that, he remarked, “we were like, OK, we know where we can improve on. So, I think the time itself wasn’t a surprise. I think, again, there’s still areas that we’re looking to develop for the future, and that’s the exciting part.” As they prepare for the Diamond League, they saw the improvements they needed in their performances.

Matt is excited about the future since there are still some areas that he needs to strategize appropriately. Then, he said in complete disbelief in his voice, “But, I had never thought in my career that a 43-4 would come second, to be honest,” indicating how Quincy took the crown from him. Even though it was just the “standard of the four,” he is still in shock and struggling to overcome it. Further, he showcased his excitement for the Lausanne Diamond League and said, “Now, it’s amazing to be a part of. You know, this event has a great history and great rivalries, and, you know, we’re the next generation.” 

Then, reflecting on his expertise and talking about making history, he continued saying, “and we’re looking to basically create our own history and rivalries with myself and Quincy, maybe Sam Okonga, and there’s other athletes as well who are on the forefront, like Michael Norman, Stephen Gardner, Wade, if he does come back. There’s so many athletes, so the 400, for me personally, is a premier event.” Matt is excited to participate in an event that carries a great name from the past and solid rivalries. He is delighted by the 43.4 second time but believes there is much to come from them further down the line. 

He felt devastated when he could not get the gold at the 400m event with Quincy Hall. Quincy Hall blasted through the track like a runaway, and the long stride powering him to the fourth fastest time ever. Fourth, entering the last 100m, he defeated Matt Hudson-Smith and tasted victory in 43.40sec. Hudson-Smith finished behind at 43.44 seconds, with Zambian Muzala Samukonga in third place, who took bronze. This made Matt delve deeper into frustration. After that, in an interview with The Guardian, his first was, “I am not angry, I am not upset. I was like: “Oh, fuck it, it’s life at the end of the day.” As he challenged Quincy before the race to take gold, he felt shattered after looking at the giant screen, and the result appeared. It made a significant impact, making him stronger to compete in the upcoming Diamond League. 

From glory days to Diamond League dreams: Crafting the future

Rising from the ‘desperate lows,’ Matt Hudson-Smith specializes in 400m events. In 2014, Hudson-Smith first claimed relay golds at the 2014 Commonwealth Games and European Championships as a teenager. He fell short of the Rio 2016 Olympic final, finishing eighth behind Wayde van Niekerk’s world-record run. A year on, he opted to leave Birmingham for America to bridge the gap further and challenge for global medals. In 2019, he suffered from severe Achilles, hamstring, and hip injuries, along with huge debts and sponsorship loss.

Due to his injury, he also missed the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. Reflecting on his journey, he told Olympics.com, “It has just been crazy, crazy events over the last three years. And now that we’re here, words can’t describe it.” His breakthrough came with a bronze at the Eugene World Championships and a silver at the Commonwealth Games in 2022. After the Paris Olympics, he’s setting his sights on a strong comeback at the Lausanne Diamond League. To prepare, he’s ramped up his gym sessions and focused on a diet of salads to stay in peak condition. With these changes, he hopes to shape his career positively. The question now is whether he can clinch the upcoming Diamond League title and solidify his comeback.