Muzala Samukonga broke his own 400m national record en route to a first Olympic medal for Zambia since 1996.
Zambia's Muzala Samukonga produced a heroic performance to win a bronze medal in the men's 400m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday night.
In a pulsating race that has been hailed as one of the greatest in Olympic history, Samukonga crossed the line in a remarkable time of 43.74 seconds - a new national record for Zambia.
Muzala Samukonga make Zambia proud
The 21-year-old's achievement marks Zambia's first Olympic medal in 28 years, with their last podium finish coming at the Atlanta Games in 1996.
Samukonga was understandably overjoyed with his accomplishment, taking to social media to declare: 'ZAMBIA KUCHALO. 2024 OLYMPIC BRONZE MEDALIST. REMEMBER THE NAME.'
In a tight finish, USA's Quincy Hall clinched the gold medal in a new personal best of 43.40s, while Great Britain's Matthew Hudson-Smith took silver in a European record time of 43.44s.
Muzala Samukonga's bronze medal is a historic moment for Zambia, who will be hoping this can inspire a new generation of athletes to emerge from the African nation.
The sprinter was quick to express his gratitude, saying: 'Thank you Heavenly Father I'll forever be grateful.'
Alongside Samukonga's success, one of Nigeria's best performers in Paris 2024, Samuel Ogazi, also impressed in the 400m final, finishing seventh in one of the most competitive races of the Games in what is the first-ever Olympics for the 18-year-old star.
This will be a moment Zambia and Muzala Samukonga will cherish for years to come, as the youngster etches his name in the history books with a stunning Olympic bronze medal.
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