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Letsile Tebogo has explained why he did not triumph over Kenny Bednarek in the men's 200m at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels despite being a favourite to win.
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo explained the reason behind his loss to Kenny Bednarek at the Diamond League Meeting final in Brussels.
The Motswana sprinter went into the race as a favourite to win but finished second in the hotly contested race. Bednarek had the honours of taking the top prize home, clocking an impressive 19.67 seconds to cross the finish line.
Tebogo finished second, clocking 19.80 seconds ahead of Alexander Ogando who sealed the podium in a thrilling finish, clocking 19.97 seconds. The 21-year-old explained that this season, he has competed in many races and by the time the final was coming, he had no energy left in him for another win.
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17:00 - 17.09.2024
Letsile Tebogo points out mistake most coaches make that prevent junior athletes from finding success a senior level
Tebogo, who himself successfully made the leap after the 2022 World U20 Championships, offered advice to coaches on how to help young athletes reach their full potential.
After the Olympics, Tebogo maintained a winning streak, dominating the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne before destroying a strong field in Silesia. He then competed in Rome and Zurich, claiming top honours, before winning the Grand Prix Lombardia in preparation for the final.
Despite missing the trophy, Tebogo remains optimistic ahead of other Diamond League Meeting finals, noting that he has more years to compete and he will certainly bag that trophy.
“I’m happy with the times that I’ve run this season and getting here, I’m satisfied with what I have done. I thought there would be some gas left in me but from the blocks, I didn’t get that start because the body has shut down. I’ve abused the body, so, I feel like running these times is still fine for me,” Tebogo shared.
“It’s been a great season and I’ve done a lot of things…with that, it was not an ideal condition for me to win the trophy but there are more years to come. I feel like it’s been a great season because I’m the Olympic champion and everyone dreams of that. I’ve seen a lot of support from Africans on social media and I’m glad that I got to inspire young people,” he added.
After ending his season, Tebogo will take a short break, spend time on his farm and preferably go on vacation before resuming training in preparation for next season. At the moment, he has no plans for what lies ahead as he explained that he must have a sit down with his coach and plan.
Next season, the 2025 World Championships in Tokyo, Japan will be the main priority for many athletes including Tebogo. At the 2023 World Championships in Budapest, Hungary, Tebogo finished second in the 100m and third in the 200m and he will be out to go one place better in each of the races.
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22:15 - 14.09.2024
Kenny Bednarek stuns Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo to claim men's 200m Diamond League trophy
Kenny Bednarek had a great start off the blocks, something that paid off well for him with Letsile Tebogo's poor execution costing him a win.
“Next season, I’m not sure, we have to sit down and plan. For now, we have to forget about athletics and relax and then after a few weeks, we shall be back,” he said.
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