The entire podium from Tokyo returned,
Steven Gardiner,
Anthony Zambrano and
Kirani James. 31-year old veteran James was the 2012 Olympic champion and had a complete set of medals. Also returning was Tokyo 5th place and
2022 World Athletics champion
Michael Norman. Reigning World Athletics champion
Antonio Watson did not compete due to injury. The world leader for the season was 2022 World Athletics Championship bronze medalist
Matthew Hudson-Smith. World record holder
Wayde van Niekerk did not compete, instead electing to run 200 metres. Owing to injury, Tokyo gold medalist Gardiner did not start in heat 4. Silver medalist Zambrano failed to qualify in heat 2, finishing seventh. Bronze medalist James qualified for his fourth Olympic 400m final in a row with a 43.78 win in Semifinal 2, the fastest semi-final time ever at the Olympics . Also qualified were Zambian
Muzala Samukonga and American
Christopher Bailey. 2023 World Championship bronze medalist
Quincy Hall edged out fellow qualifier Trinidadian
Jereem Richards with a 43.95 time to win Semifinal 1. Future
2025 World Champion Busang Kebinatshipi came third, failing to go through to the final. In Semifinal 3,
Samuel Ogazi, Norman, and Hudson-Smith all progressed. As the final began, Richards quickly accelerated to take the lead, splitting 20.46 at the 200m mark. Hall, James, Hudson-Smith, and Samukonga formed a chasing pack, gradually catching up to Richards near the end of the turn. Coming off the turn, Hudson-Smith assumed the lead barely ahead of Richards and James, with Hall and Samukonga trailing. Further behind were Norman, Bailey, and Ogazi, whom were out of contention by this point. Hall, visibly struggling and grimacing, had edged ahead of Samukonga and began bearing down on the three leaders. Down the final stretch, with the front three in stagnant positions, Hall surged forward, followed by Samukonga. With extraordinary effort, Hall passed James and Richards in quick succession, and caught up to Hudson-Smith at the front. James and Richards both fell behind, later to be surpassed by Samukonga as he attempted match Hall's move. Hudson-Smith was unable to hold off Hall, settling with silver as the American snatched gold in an exceptional comeback. Samukonga poached bronze from fourth place Richards, while James was demoted to fifth. Bailey and Ogazi finished sixth and seventh, respectively. Norman finished last and ran a time of 45.62, slower than his marks in the semi-final and qualifying heat. Hall ran the fourth-fastest time in the event's history, while Hudson-Smith ran the fifth-fastest, the fastest non-winning time recorded and a new European record. Samukonga and Richards also both achieved national records. The first four finishers (Hall, Hudson-Smith, Samukonga, and Richards), achieved
personal bests. == Background ==