The United States’ Quincy Hall celebrates after winning the men’s 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games on Wednesday. Photo: Martin Bernetti/AFP

The newly crowned Olympic 400-meter men’s champion, Quincy Hall, may possess a set of gold teeth to complement his medal, but he emphasizes his humble beginnings and lack of privilege.

At the age of 26, the American athlete delivered an exceptional performance on Wednesday, emerging from obscurity to become the fourth fastest man ever in the event.

Hall, who received mentorship from fellow Kansas native and 2000 Olympic 100-meter champion Maurice Greene, deviates from conventional norms.

His inspiration for his “grit,” as he refers to it, stems from an unconventional source.

“Raising dogs and raising animals,” the dog-breeding Hall told Fox4kc.com in July.

“You just see the determination the animal has, I just try to keep that same determination cause, can’t outwork a dog,” added Hall, who owns six dogs.

The performance was remarkable, especially considering that just two years prior, he transitioned from competing in the 400m hurdles to flat racing.

“I was wasting a lot of time on those hurdles man,” he told Fox4kc.com.

“Those boys are just as fast and they can hurdle, I can’t hurdle, I’m not as flexible, I don’t bend like that.”

One year later, he secured a bronze medal at the World Championships in Budapest, yet he promised to achieve a different medal color in Paris — a commitment he fulfilled.

True to his solitary approach, he pursued his competitors individually, training independently as a lone wolf.

His journey to the pinnacle of his sport has been unconventional; he has experimented with various distances, including cross country running, and participated in multiple events ranging from 200 meters to 1500 meters during school competitions.

‘All the pain’

In addition to the challenges he faced on the track, he also had to overcome personal tragedies, including the loss of two of his brothers at a young age.

After winning the gold medal, he paid tribute to his deceased brothers, as well as his two daughters, Abri (age 7) and A’lani (age 2). He expressed his love for A'lani by saying he would "tickle her to death.”

This rare moment of vulnerability followed a celebration, during which he reflected on his difficult past.

He worked two jobs to support himself through school, as there were no catering facilities at the College of the Sequoias in California. He drew parallels between his own struggles and those of his favorite animal.

“You got to get your own food,” he said.

“No cafeteria, no study hall, none of that. You can find out how to be a dog by yourself.”

Making the difficult decision to relocate a significant distance from Kansas also created physical separation from his unwavering support, his mother Iecia Fritz, who independently raised him alongside his surviving brother, Milton, and sister, Breanna.

“Rewarding, I was a single mother and just seeing him grow up and live his dream, that’s been exciting for me,” Fritz told Fox4kc.com.

During her time in Paris for a significant event, she acknowledged experiencing frequent nervousness, which occasionally required her to step outside.

Nonetheless, she promptly recognized her five-year-old son’s innate talent.

“My brother was outside with him and they were racing, him and his older cousins, and he’s the youngest one and he’s running behind my brother,” she said.

“My brother turns around and says ‘Hey, this boy can run!'”

After more than twenty years, he fulfilled that promise by achieving the highest honor a track and field athlete can attain. While he possessed natural talent, his success was also driven by the challenges he faced along the way.

“I don’t give up, man,” he said.

“I grit. I grind. I have determination. Anything I can think of that’s going to get me to that line, I think of it.

“All the hurt. All the pain.”