30 Jan Beyond The Track with Quincy Hall
Many wonder what life is like for their favorite athletes when they’re not training or competing. It can be easy to get lost in the lights, but behind the incredible accomplishments, there are people like you and me waiting for their stories to be told.
This interview is the first in a series of lifestyle interviews aimed at bringing to light the unique personalities of various athletes, apart from what the world knows about their training and accomplishments.
The first athlete of this series is 400m Olympic gold-medalist, Quincy Hall. In November, I had the opportunity to speak with Quincy, and learn about his life beyond the track.
WHAT DOES AN OLYMPIC GOLD-MEDALIST DO WITH THEIR FREE TIME?
It might surprise you to know some of the things the toughest athletes have soft spots for. For Quincy Hall, that passion lies in animals. Quincy grew up riding horses with his uncle. Now residing in Columbia, South Carolina, he owns three horses of his own. I asked Quincy what one thing he was looking forward to in life besides track was. He shared that he was looking forward to going home and getting ready to show his Tennessee walking-style horses. Beyond that, Quincy says he is looking forward to building a better farm for himself and his horses, and to “see how life plays out,” getting his farm situated.
But, horses are not the only animals Quincy owns. He is also passionate about his dogs, and if you have seen any of his post-race interviews, he has likely given them a shout-out. He does not just own two or three of these pets, though. Quincy says he actually does not even know how many he owns because they keep having litters. Interestingly, but not surprisingly, being around these animals have contributed to the way Quincy approaches life on and off the track.
His “spirit animal” would be- you guessed it- a dog. His reason for this is because of “the drive a dog has, the determination a dog has.” But, not just any dog. German Shepherds, “Bullies,” the kinds of dogs that will do whatever it takes to get what they want. “If I wanna be the best, I gotta do what it takes.” When Quincy’s mind is set on something, he will stop at nothing to make it happen. This mindset was evident in his 400m gold-medal performance this summer at the Paris Olympics. In his epic come-from-behind victory, it was clear that Quincy channeled his inner “dog” and quite literally did what it took to cross the finish line first. It is inspiring to see how his passions, which at first would seem to have nothing to do with track, actually contribute to his athletic success.
ADVICE FROM AN OLYMPIAN
“Less is more. You only lose when you quit.”
When asked what he was most proud of in life, it is no surprise that his answer goes beyond his track accomplishments or any of his animals. Without delay, Quincy replied that he is most proud of his daughter, A’Lani, who was in the car with him at the time of our interview. Becoming a father to his daughter, now three years old, has changed his perspective in life to being a provider. Quincy said, “when [life] gets hard, you gotta go harder,” and this is how he approaches his life as a father. I asked if he would describe his daughter as his best friend, and he said yes. “I’m about as old as she is,” he replied, “she also loves horses. She probably loves them more than [I do.]”
Quincy shared with me three pieces of advice that he has for his daughter, and these could not be more applicable to anyone reading this now. First, he said, “Less is more,” which Quincy also described as something that can be true for a lot of things in life. His next piece of advice was that “You only lose when you quit,” so no matter how difficult things get, the only true failure is in giving up. His final piece of advice to his daughter was, “If you ever need to call me, you can call me again and again.” We never outgrow our need for parents, and this advice from Quincy is something almost every parent could want their child to hear.
LIVING IN THE MOMENT
“No more excuses, no more delays”
Quincy spoke about seeing both sides of life from before being a father and now as a father. By looking outside himself and to his daughter, as well as providing for his animals, he is able to find purpose and motivation beyond the track.
“I don’t look at yesterday, and I can’t see tomorrow. So, I live everything by the second.” This is the outlook that makes Quincy successful on the track, but most importantly off the track, as a man passionate about animals and his daughter. The way in which Quincy chooses to live everything by the second and be driven by his role as provider are more motivation than any gold could ever be, but it is no surprise that his drive and determination have led him to see such great success throughout his athletic career as well.
There are no limits for Quincy Hall. When he sets his mind on something, he will allow nothing to stand in his way of achieving it. As inspiring as his 2024 Paris Olympics 400m gold-medal performance was, Quincy Hall is even more inspiring as a father, and animal-lover. Team USA is incredibly fortunate to have someone like Quincy representing hard work and determination on and off the track.
Written by Parker Neumeier, Journalism and Political Science student at the University of Wisconsin- Madison