‘My life has changed’ – Tebogo responds to being received by 30,000 people after his Olympics heroics

‘My life has changed’ – Tebogo responds to being received by 30,000 people after his Olympics heroics

Joel Omotto 17:32 - 21.08.2024

Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo feels the great reception he got back home after his Olympics gold has changed his life for the better and also inspired many more in Africa.

Letsile Tebogo admits his life has changed a lot since his Paris Olympics heroics when he won gold in 200m.

The sprinter stunned favourite Noah Lyles to win gold over the distance to become Botswana’s first-ever Olympics champion and since then, his country has celebrated him big time.

Tebogo was received by over 30,000 people at the National Stadium in Gaborone when he returned home from Paris and says the reception not only took him by surprise but also acted as an inspiration to many others in his country and the rest of Africa.

“The support was really amazing to see 30,000 people at the stadium along the roads coming back home and I believe my life has changed and I have changed a lot of lives from my country,” Tebogo said at the pre-race press conference ahead of the Lausanne Diamond League.

“It is something I have been looking forward to and not just my country but also for the African continent because I have shown them against all odds everything is possible.”

Tebogo won the 200m gold in a time of 19.46 ahead of Americans Kenny Bednarek (19.62) and Lyles (19.70), who settled for bronze, despite going into the race as the hot favourite.

The sprinter also anchored Team Botswana to a silver medal in the 4x400m relay, having initially finished fifth in the 100m final, which was won by Lyles.

Tebogo will turn his focus to the Lausanne Diamond League on Thursday where he will run the 200m which has also attracted Americans Fred Kerley, the Olympics 100m bronze medallist, and Erriyon Knighton among others.

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