Letsile Tebogo’s victory in the Olympic 200m final was celebrated by the Botswana government with the announcement of a national holiday.
However, the 21-year-old sprinting sensation continued his winning streak in the Wanda Diamond League, securing victories in Lausanne with a time of 19.64 and in Silesia with a meeting record of 19.83.
In Rome, Tebogo switched to the 100m and delivered a stunning performance, overtaking USA’s world indoor champion Christian Coleman and 2022 world champion Fred Kerley to win in 9.87.
Despite his busy schedule, Tebogo admitted with a smile that he hadn’t trained for eight days before his Lausanne race. This downtime was well-deserved after a challenging year marked by personal loss. Following his Olympic victory, Tebogo paid tribute to his late mother, who passed away in May, by displaying her initials on his running shoes and fingernails.
“It was a great tribute to her because she has always been caring,” Tebogo told World Athletics. “Through thick and thin, she had always been there, supportive of everything I did.”
Tebogo shared how difficult it was to cope with his mother’s passing, but with the support of his coach and team, he managed to persevere. “They pushed me on, day in, day out. There were days when I didn’t have the motivation to train. But eventually, everything started to click.”
This resilience led to historic success in Paris, where Tebogo won Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal in the 200m with a national record of 19.46. He also anchored Botswana to a silver medal in the 4x400m relay.
“I am proud of what I did at the Olympics,” Tebogo said. “We had always dreamed of getting a relay medal at the Olympics. We still want that gold medal!”
Tebogo hinted at a future move to the 400m but only after aiming for Olympic 100m gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. He also expressed his commitment to staying in Botswana, despite the allure of training in the United States.
As a reward for his achievements, the Botswana government gifted Tebogo two houses, which he plans to rent out while continuing to live in his mother’s house. Tebogo, who chose athletics over football, remains deeply rooted in his home country and family.
Reflecting on his journey, Tebogo highlighted the grounding effect of part-time farming and the overwhelming support he received upon returning to Botswana. “I believe my life has changed and that I have changed a lot of lives in my home country. I have shown them that against all odds, everything is possible.”
Regarding the possibility of breaking the world 200m record, Tebogo remains optimistic but cautious. “I see it, but I don’t want to put myself under that pressure. I think it will come eventually.”
Culled from the World Athletics website