When Letsile Tebogo sprinted to victory in the 200m Olympic final, it was more than just a win for Botswana. The 21-year-old not only secured his nation’s first-ever Olympic gold but also stood tall amid personal tragedy, proudly displaying his mother’s initials on his running shoes.
Botswana, in a surge of national pride, declared a public holiday to celebrate his triumph, but for Tebogo, the road to Olympic glory was far from smooth.
After clinching the historic victory, Tebogo barely paused. He quickly resumed his busy schedule, securing further victories in the Wanda Diamond League in Lausanne and Silesia, setting meeting records in the 200m.
He also dropped down to the 100m in Rome, where he stole the show with a dazzling 9.87-second win, defeating sprinting stars Christian Coleman and Fred Kerley.
But Tebogo’s meteoric rise has been shadowed by deep personal loss. Just a few months before his Olympic success, his mother passed away at the age of 44 after a short illness.
Tebogo admitted that this heartbreak made him question everything—his career, his ambitions, and his future.
“I thought it was the end of the world, the end of my career, the end of everything I have tried to accomplish,” he shared.
Despite the overwhelming grief, Tebogo’s support system, including his coach and team, helped him persevere. “They told me to take each day as it comes,” Tebogo recalled.
“There were days I had no motivation, but they encouraged me to show up, even if just to watch them train. Gradually, things started to click again.”
It was this resilience that led Tebogo to his groundbreaking performance in Paris, clocking a national record of 19.46 seconds in the 200m final and helping Botswana win silver in the 4x400m relay.
His heroic 43.08-second final leg in the relay, faster than Rai Benjamin’s split, secured Botswana an African record.
Tebogo’s achievements have put the young sprinter in the spotlight, prompting speculation about his future in the 400m. Although he acknowledges the possibility, Tebogo remains focused on winning Olympic 100m gold at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.
His decision to stay rooted in Botswana, rather than move to the United States like many top sprinters, is a reflection of his commitment to his home country.
Tebogo explained, “In the US, there’s always a new Michael Johnson coming up. But for Africa, it’s rare to see someone like me.”
Despite his success, Tebogo remains grounded. Botswana’s government has gifted him two houses in recognition of his achievements, but he humbly chooses to stay in his mother’s home, renting out the properties instead.
He is also a part-time farmer, a practice he finds refreshing: “Farming takes me away from the city life… it allows me to distract myself from track and field and refresh my mental life.”
Tebogo’s journey is one of resilience and pride. From experiencing the ‘end of everything’ to bringing home Botswana’s first Olympic gold, his story is an inspiration for his nation and the entire African continent.
“I believe my life has changed, and I’ve changed a lot of lives back home,” he said. “I’ve shown them that against all odds, everything is possible.”
