Letsile Tebogo from Botswana became the first African to win a medal in the prestigious 100m at the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Sunday (08/20/2023). The 20-year-old is still at the beginning of a potentially great career – and is the pride of an entire continent.
By Bettina Lenner, Budapest
Letsile Tebogo stood still on the track and looked at the sky. “A medal wasn’t the plan at all, the final was the goal. But I noticed how close it was and prayed that I’d at least make it onto the podium,” he explained later. Places two to four had previously finished at the same time after hundredths of a second – anxious moments. And then: “Boom! – I had the silver medal. I’m happy. The medal is a bonus for us and for my country.”
“It shows what potential there is in Africa”
Once again, the only 20-year-old, who is considered the legitimate successor to Namibian legend Frankie Fredericks, has made history with it. He is the first African to win a World Championships medal in the 100m. Not just a personal triumph for him: “It shows what potential there is in Africa. We African athletes stand together and want to show together that we not only have long-distance runners, but also great sprinters.”
It’s time for Africa to take over the sprints. People should see that African athletes can do more than long distances.
9.88 seconds not only meant second place behind US star Noah Lyles (9.83 seconds) in the exciting final in Budapest, but also another national record. “Africa is so proud, he brought awareness to the continent,” said Seratiwa Tebogo. She once struggled as a single mother to raise him and his brother. Her son also thanked his grandmother: “I grew up with her for the most part, she made me the man I am today.”
From football to track and field professional
As a boy, Tebogo mainly played football – because he was so fast, mostly up front. But the passion didn’t last. “Football is more of a team sport. If one person doesn’t work, the whole team doesn’t work. It’s different in an individual sport, you’re on your own. That suits me more,” he said. Because he also ended up on the bench more often in football, he switched. He has only been doing athletics seriously for four or five years, reported Tebogo: “That’s when I realized that the sport can feed me and my family.”
World number two in the 200m
From then on it went steeply uphill. In 2020 and 2022 he was the first Botswana athlete to become U20 World Champion over 100 m. He won silver over twice the distance. With his time of 9.91 seconds when he won the title last year in Cali/Colombia, he holds the current U20 world record. This year he has improved on all distances from 100 to 400 m, with the African record of 19.50 seconds about a month ago in London, the man from Gaborone is number two in the world over 200 m – only five sprinters have ever been faster .
The 200 m is actually a bit better for the Schlaks than the big sprint classic. The 20-year-old promises “a big show” again, but doesn’t spit out any big tones before the possible final duel again on Friday evening (25.08.2023, 9.50 p.m., in the live ticker at sportschau.de) with the world’s best Lyles (19 ,47). “First of all, it’s about seeing how physically I can cope with such a double start.”
Usain Bolt the great idol
Tebogo is already often mentioned in the same breath as Usain Bolt. The exceptional Jamaican sprinter, who has held the world records over 100 m (9.58) and 200 m (19.19) since the World Championships in Berlin in 2009, is his idol “because he is the greatest athlete you can imagine. I try to reach that level one day.”
For himself, his coach, his family – but also to further advance development in Africa. “I want to be an inspiration not just for Botswana but for all of Africa. We need to be many,” he said.
More meetings in his home country, more youngsters, more athletes. Tebogo is confident that “this silver medal will make a difference in Africa and in Botswana”. And maybe, he hopes, the Olympic Games will come to Africa one day: “So that people can see how beautiful it is there.”
