Letsile Tebogo stuns American trio for 200m Olympic gold in Paris
21-year-old Letsile Tebogo from Botswana surprised everyone at the Olympics by winning the gold medal in the men's 200m final with a thrilling victory in 19.46 seconds. Thanks to Tebogo's performance, Botswana has earned its first Olympic gold medal and third Olympic medal overall.
Three American athletes, Kenny Bednarek, Noah Lyles, and Erriyon Knighton, secured the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th place positions, replicating their performance at the Tokyo Olympics.
Bednarek earned a 200m silver medal in the Olympics for the second time with a time of 19.62 seconds. Lyles, who was expected to win gold, took home the bronze medal for the second time with a time of 19.70 seconds, which is almost 0.40 seconds slower than his personal best of 19.31 seconds.
Letsile Tebogo outpaced Bednarek and Lyles to win Botswana's first gold medal in the men's 200m event.
The blog section featuring photos from JEWEL SAMAD/AFP via Getty Images showcase an array of stunning visuals capturing various events and moments.
Lyles' loss in his top event means he won't reach his aim of being the first American man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to win both the 100m and 200m events at the Olympics. Just nine men have ever accomplished this, and that number will remain the same until 2028 at least. This defeat to Tebogo also breaks Lyles' winning streak in the 200m event since the Tokyo Games, which lasted for three years.
Lyles collapsed on the ground shortly after finishing the race and had to be assisted off the track by medical staff. It was later announced on TV that he had tested positive for COVID-19 two days before the event but still chose to participate.
"I reluctantly got out of bed around 5:00 a.m. this Tuesday morning feeling awful," Lyles stated. "To my dismay, I received the news that I tested positive for COVID."
When I first saw the bad weather, I didn't panic. I have faced even tougher conditions while running before. ...I have never felt prouder of myself than I do now, standing here with a bronze medal.
Bednarek, on the other hand, has kept his word. After securing a spot on the U.S. Olympic team in June, he hinted at his goals for Paris during his interview after the race.
"I will beat him next time," Bednarek declared, locking eyes with Lyles as he said it.
In Paris on Thursday, Bednarek outshone his U.S. teammate by .08 seconds to win the silver medal.
This gold medal has brought Tebogo to the highest level of his sport. His time of 19.46 seconds has set a new African record in the 200m race. At only 21 years old, he is now the youngest man to win a gold medal in the men's 200m since Bobby Joe Morrow of the United States in 1956.
During the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Tebogo won the silver medal, coming in second place right behind Lyles. This marked his first major recognition on the global stage. Now, as an Olympic gold medalist, he is ready to face off against Lyles, Bednarek, and Knighton in various competitions over the next decade.
Tebogo achieved success after facing challenges in the past year. He tragically lost his mother, Seratiwa, in May. While getting ready for the Olympics, he painted his nails with her initials as a tribute and dedicated his gold medal to her.
