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Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo honors his late mother while achieving historic Olympic gold and "World Male Athlete" recognition.
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo has had a year filled with both remarkable triumphs and heart-wrenching loss.
The Botswanian sprinter, who etched his name in history books at the 2024 Paris Olympics, shared an emotional tribute to his late mother, Seratiwa, on what would have been her first birthday since her passing in May 2024.
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Tebogo, who has often credited his mother as a cornerstone of his athletic career, took to Instagram to commemorate the bittersweet occasion.
In a touching series of posts, the 200m gold medalist shared a throwback picture of himself as a child with his mother, captioning it simply: "Happy Birthday ntwana."
Another post featured a video of Seratiwa cheering for him from the stands during one of his early races. Tebogo’s heartfelt overlay read, "It will never be the same."
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Speaking to Olympics.com in November, Tebogo opened up about the deep bond he shared with his mother and the void her loss has left in his life.
“Athletes are all different, there’s the loud ones, there’s also the quiet ones. So I prefer being silent and just let the legs do the talking. I’ve always been a reserved person, so athletics won’t change the person who I am. So I believe silence is the way,” he said, reflecting his characteristic composure.
Despite his personal grief, 2024 has been a monumental year for the young sprinter.
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Tebogo made history in Paris by becoming the first African athlete to win an Olympic gold in the 200m, clocking a record-breaking time of 19.46 seconds.
As he celebrated his victory, Tebogo held his track shoes aloft for the cameras, revealing his mother’s birth date etched on them—a poignant gesture of remembrance and gratitude.
The emotional moment resonated with fans around the world. Tebogo later expressed that the victory was not just for himself but for his mother, who had always been his biggest supporter.
“She would have been here, cheering louder than anyone,” he remarked in a post-race interview.
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In addition to his historic Olympic gold, Tebogo anchored Botswana’s 4x400m men’s relay team to a silver medal behind Team USA.
His incredible year was capped off when he was named World Male Athlete of the Year, beating Norwegian sprinter Jakob Ingebrigtsen for the honor.
The achievement marked yet another first for African athletics and solidified Tebogo as a beacon of hope and inspiration for aspiring athletes across the continent.
Tebogo’s humility and quiet strength have made him not only a champion on the track but also a role model for young athletes.
“I want to show the younger generation of African sprinters that their dreams are valid and achievable. It’s about paving the way and showing them the path to follow,” he told Olympics.com.
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As the year draws to a close, Tebogo’s dual narrative of victory and loss serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience required to face life’s highs and lows.
His tributes to his mother throughout the year, from the track to social media, have underscored the depth of their bond and the inspiration she provided in his journey to greatness.
For Letsile Tebogo, 2024 will forever be remembered not only as the year he conquered the world stage but also as the year he turned his grief into fuel for unprecedented success—proving that even in loss, greatness can shine.
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