Botswana’s Tebogo becomes first African to win Olympic 200m Gold

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo made history by winning the men’s Olympic 200 meters title at the Paris 2024 Olympics, becoming the first African athlete to ever achieve this feat.

Tebogo’s remarkable performance saw him cross the finish line in 19.46 seconds, setting a new national record and cementing his place as the fifth-fastest man in history over 200m.

Tebogo’s dominant display in the final 50 meters left American duo Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles in his wake, with Bednarek taking silver in 19.62 seconds and Lyles settling for bronze in 19.67 seconds.

This marked Lyles’ first defeat in a 200m final in three years, despite testing positive for COVID-19 just two days prior.

The 21-year-old Tebogo’s victory is a significant milestone for African athletics, with four African athletes featuring in the sprint final for the first time in Olympic history.

Tebogo’s achievement is a testament to his hard work and dedication, and he expressed his joy and pride at becoming the Olympic champion.

“I’m the Olympic champion, it’s something I have never seen in my life or dreamt of – it is an amazing moment,” Tebogo said in a post-race interview. “I just came here with the little that I had in me to push through because yesterday we made it to the final, my coach told me ‘now it’s your race’.”

Tebogo’s win has sent shockwaves of excitement throughout Botswana, with fans and fellow athletes alike celebrating his historic achievement.

His victory serves as an inspiration to aspiring athletes across the continent, demonstrating that with determination and passion, anything is possible.

In a statement, the USATF said that Lyles had tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday and had received medical treatment after the race.

Despite this, Lyles chose to compete in the final, and his decision was respected by the USATF.

The victory marks a significant moment for Botswana, with Tebogo becoming the country’s first Olympic gold medalist.

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