Botswana’s Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo continued his stellar form on Thursday, securing a dramatic victory in the men’s 200m at the Zurich Diamond League. In front of a packed Letzigrund Stadium, the 21-year-old delivered a trademark late surge to edge out American sprinter Kenny Bednarek by just 0.02 seconds, crossing the line in 19.55 seconds.
Bednarek, who finished second in Paris, set a personal best of 19.57 seconds, while compatriots Erriyon Knighton and Fred Kerley followed closely in third (19.79) and fourth (19.81) respectively.
Tebogo, known for his electrifying finishes, once again showed his ability to dig deep when it mattered most. Reflecting on his performance, the Olympic gold medalist said, “I always dig deep for the races and for everything, so for me, it means a lot.”
Despite his victory, Tebogo acknowledged that his race was far from perfect, admitting he didn’t run a strong opening curve, something he excelled at during his Olympic triumph in Paris. “Today, I did not run the curve; I only ran the home straight. But with the Olympic final, I ran throughout the whole race,” he explained.
Looking ahead to the Diamond League finals in Brussels next week, Tebogo hinted at more to come. “There’s still more inside me. It’s all about taking risks. Without risks, there are no rewards. As long as I finish the season healthy, I’m good to go.”
The Zurich win further cements Tebogo’s place as one of the world’s top sprinters, and all eyes will be on him as he aims for another triumph in Brussels.
