Botswanan athlete Letsile Tebogo delivered an unforgettable performance and rewrote the history books last night at the ongoing Paris 2024 Olympics. Competing against gold medal favorites like Noah Lyles and Kenneth Bednarek in the final of the men’s 200m race, Tebogo stunned the world with a dominant display.
The African sprinter surged ahead midway through the race, maintaining his lead until he crossed the finish line. In the process, Tebogo not only secured Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal but also became the first African male athlete to win gold in the men’s 200m race. He completed the race in an African record time of 19.46 seconds, finishing 0.16 seconds ahead of Bednarek and 0.24 seconds ahead of Lyles. A continent’s pride!
It was a remarkable display of persistence and grit from Tebogo. Despite finishing sixth in the final of the 100m race on Sunday, he remained undeterred, and his relentless determination paid off.
The 21-year-old dedicated his gold medal to his mother, Seratiwa Tobogo, who passed away after a brief illness in May.
In recognition of this historic achievement, the President of Botswana declared an afternoon off for the country’s residents earlier today. Tebogo will represent his country in the final of the 4x400m race tomorrow, having helped his team record the fastest time in the semi final qualification races. He is the African continent’s newfound gem and perhaps another slice of history awaits him at the Paris Olympics tomorrow.