In a thrilling turn of events, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana claimed a shock victory in the 200m final on Thursday, upending expectations and delivering a stinging critique of American sprinter Noah Lyles.
Lyles, who had confidently predicted his own victory and made a flamboyant entrance at the Stade de France, finished third in the race, trailing behind Tebogo and silver medalist Kenny Bednarek.
Before the race, Lyles had boasted about his chances of winning both the 100m and 200m events, declaring,
“None of them is winning. When I come off the turn, they will be depressed.”
However, Lyles’ confidence crumbled as he struggled to keep up with the pace set by Tebogo. After the race, Lyles revealed that he had been battling a Covid-19 infection, which had severely impacted his performance. Despite his setback, Lyles expressed pride in securing a bronze medal under challenging circumstances.
Tebogo, the newly-crowned 200m champion, did not hold back in his post-race comments, calling Lyles “arrogant” and “loud.”
When asked if he aspired to become the face of track and field, Tebogo responded,
“For me, I can’t be the face of athletics because I’m not an arrogant or loud person like Noah. So I believe Noah’s the face of athletics.”
The remark drew a brief smile from Bednarek, who stood beside Tebogo on the podium.
Tebogo’s victory was especially poignant as it came just two months after the death of his mother, Seratiwa. In tribute, the 21-year-old wore shoes bearing her date of birth, symbolically carrying her memory with him as he crossed the finish line. Tebogo’s emotional journey to gold, driven by the sacrifices his mother made for him, added a deeply personal dimension to his stunning triumph.
