Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo became the first African to win the Olympic 200 metres on Thursday as he upstaged Noah Lyles’ plans for a sprint double in Paris. Tebogo, 21, was able to ease up at the end and still clocked an African record of 19.46 seconds for gold with American Kenny Bednarek taking silver in 19.
62 and Lyles fading to bronze in 19.70. It turns out that Lyles was diagnosed with COVID two days before the final.
At the end of the race, he sat down, which is uncharacteristic of his usual style, and then called for medical help. He left the track in a wheelchair. Once he was in the mixed zone with reporters, Lyles confirmed that he had COVID, , and did his interviews in a mask.
The sole African to have won a short sprint title at an Olympic Games is South African Reggie Walker, over 100m at the 1908 Games in London. His time saw him leapfrog American Erriyon Knighton to go fifth fastest in the all-time list. The gold was also Botswana’s first ever at an Olympics.
“It was really a beautiful race for me,” Tebogo said. “When we made it to the final, my coach just told me, ‘Now my job is done, it’s up to you to see what you can do. Whether it’s a medal or not, just finish the race healthy’.
“That’s all I could’ve wished for. I’m happy I finished the race healthier than before.” Tebogo’s gold is even more impressive given that he lost his mother Seratiwa in May.
His running shoes bear his late mother’s date of birth. “It’s basically me.