Letsile Tebogo might have the gold medal, but he says he’s not the face of international sprinting.
Tebogo took first place in the 200-meter men’s final on Thursday, beating out Americans Kenny Bednarek (silver) and Noah Lyles (bronze), with the latter revealing he tested positive for COVID-19 before the race.
When asked after by reporters after running in 19.46 that if he was now one of the faces of the sport, he said the spotlight was not for him but actually meant for Lyles.
“I think, for me, I can’t be the face of athletics because I’m not an arrogant or a loud person like Noah [Lyles],” Tebogo said. “I believe Noah is the face of athletics.”
Silver medallist US’ Kenneth Bednarek (R) congratulates Gold medallist Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo after competing in the men’s 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. AFP via Getty Images
Letsile Tebogo was asked after winning the men's 200m final if he aspires to world records and being the face of track and field.
Bronze medalist Noah Lyles of Team United States after competing in the Men’s 200m Final. Getty Images
“Pretty confident now, I can’t lie,” he said. “[Bednarek] definitely put up a fast time at [U.S.] trials, and that definitely woke me up,” Lyles said. “I was very proud of him. He’s definitely not going to take how he did here in the 100 lying down. He’s going to say, ‘I’m going after it in the 200.’ Because he knows he can go after it.
“But my job is to make sure that … I’ll just leave it there. I’ll be winning.”
Bronze medallist US’ Noah Lyles receives medical attention after competing in the men’s 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. AFP via Getty Images
“I’ve run with worse conditions, I felt, and we just took it day by day, trying to hydrate as much,” he said after the race. “Quarantined off. I’d definitely say that it’s taken its toll for sure, but I’ve never been more proud of myself for being able to come out here and getting a bronze medal — where last Olympic I was very disappointed [with a bronze medal], and this time, I couldn’t be more proud.”
Letsile Tebogo of Team Botswana crosses the finish line to win the gold medal in the Men’s 200m Final on day thirteen of the Olympic Games Paris 2024 at Stade de France on August 08, 2024 in Paris, France. Getty Images
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