Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo stunned the athletics world by claiming a surprise gold medal in the Olympic 200m at Paris 2024, thwarting Noah Lyles’ bid for a sprint double.
At just 21 years old, Tebogo blazed past his competitors, setting an African record with a time of 19.46 seconds. He finished ahead of American, Kenneth Bednarek, who secured silver with a time of 19.62 seconds. Lyles, who had been crowned the world’s fastest man after a razor-thin victory in the 100m final earlier in the week, couldn’t match the pace in the 200m, finishing third with a time of 19.70 seconds—matching his bronze medal performance from Tokyo.
It was later revealed that Lyles had tested positive for COVID-19 and needed assistance off the track in a wheelchair after the race.
Before the race, Lyles had received a warm reception from the crowd, with hopes high that he could become the first man since Usain Bolt in 2016 to complete the 100m and 200m double at the Olympics. However, Tebogo had different plans.
Tebogo, who won a bronze medal in the 200m at the World Championships last year and a silver in the 100m in Budapest, made an extraordinary leap forward at the Stade de France, securing his first Olympic gold in his debut Games.
Despite a slower start, Lyles remained in third position throughout the race. Bednarek, who also claimed silver in Tokyo and at the 2022 World Championships, couldn’t catch Tebogo, who sprinted to victory, earning Botswana its first-ever Olympic gold medal.
