Matthew Hudson-Smith delivered a sensational performance to win the men’s 400m at the Prefontaine Classic, clocking a Season’s Best (SB) of 44.10 seconds.
The race was tightly contested, with American Christopher Bailey 🇺🇸 pushing Hudson-Smith all the way and setting a new Personal Best (PB) of 44.15 seconds to take second place. Another American, Jacory Patterson 🇺🇸, closed strongly down the home straight to secure third in 44.31 seconds.
Final Results
1. Matthew Hudson-Smith (GBR) — 44.10 SB
2. Christopher Bailey (USA) — 44.15 PB
3. Jacory Patterson (USA) — 44.31
4. Khaleb McRae (USA) — 44.45
5. Muzala Samukonga (ZAM) — 44.49 SB
6. Charles Dobson (GBR) — 44.65
7. Kirani James (GRN) — 44.80 SB
8. Alexander Doom (BEL) — 45.68
Hudson-Smith has since established himself as one of the finest quarter-milers in history. He opened his 2024 season with a 200m personal best of 20.39 in Florida before representing Britain at the World Athletics Relays, helping the team to a sixth-place finish in the men’s 4×400m final.
His performances on the European circuit were electric. At the Bislett Games in Oslo, he broke his own European 400m record with a stunning 44.07-second run, then lowered it again at the London Diamond League in July, clocking a remarkable 43.74 seconds , the fastest 400m ever run on British soil.
The highlight of his season came at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where Hudson-Smith captured silver in the men’s 400m final with a personal best of 43.44 seconds, becoming the fifth-fastest man in history over the distance. In a nail-biting finish, he was edged out by Quincy Hall in the final 15 metres.
He added a bronze medal in the men’s 4×400m relay, delivering an astonishing 43.09-second split, the fourth-fastest relay split of all time.