Day twelve of the Paris Olympics on Wednesday witnessed a breathtaking display of athleticism as American sprinter Quincy Hall snatched gold in the 400m with a jaw-dropping late surge. Buried in fourth place with just a bend to go, Hall unleashed a blistering finish to overhaul his rivals and claim victory in a time of 43.40 seconds - the fourth fastest in history. The Californian's exuberant celebrations, complete with snow angels, mirrored the shockwaves his performance sent through the Stade de France. Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith took silver, while Zambia's Muzala Samukonga secured bronze.
Hall's triumph follows hot on the heels of compatriot Cole Hocker's shock 1500m victory, underlining the USA's dominance in middle-distance events. Meanwhile, Noah Lyles advanced to the 200m final, setting the stage for a potential sprint double.
While the Americans were basking in glory, India's Olympic campaign encountered a mixed bag of fortunes. Mirabai Chanu, a medal hopeful in weightlifting, narrowly missed out on bronze by a mere kilogram, finishing fourth. The diminutive Indian powerhouse was unable to convert her lifts in the clean and jerk, leaving her to rue what might have been.
Disaster struck for India's wrestling team as Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the 50kg final for being overweight. The controversial decision ended her hopes of a historic gold medal.
On the track, Avinash Sable produced a creditable eleventh-place finish in the 3000m steeplechase, while Jyothi Yarraji kept India's hopes alive in the 100m hurdles by progressing to the repechage. However, the day was largely one of disappointment for the Indian athletics team, with a string of early exits in various events.
There was some respite for India in golf, where Diksha Dagar opened with a promising tie for seventh, while Aditi Ashok battled jet lag to post a respectable tie for thirteenth.
India's women's table tennis team bowed out of the competition following a 3-1 defeat to Germany in the quarter-finals.
