World Athletics

Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo has clarified his comments about his American rival, Noah Lyles, and said that they have a friendly relationship. 

This follows his comments about Lyles being “arrogant” after he beat the American to the gold in the 200-meter race at the Paris Olympics. In a post-race conference, Tebogo sparked a reaction when he said that he could not be the face of athletics because he was not “arrogant or loud” like Noah. His statements were seen by the fans as an insult to Lyles, but Tebogo explained that he did not intend to disrespect his rival. 

He emphasised that they have a positive and respectful relationship, and he respects the American’s approach to the sport. 

Tebogo said: “When you get onto the track, it’s all about business… (But) when we finish, you can be friends, life goes on.” 

He added: “But the ‘arrogance’ … he’s good to sell our sport. But with me, I’ll always shy away from doing that because that’s me.” 

Tebogo’s athletic performance 

In the Paris Olympics, Tebogo clocked an exceptional time of 19.46 seconds in the 200m final, making him the fifth fastest man to date. This was a memorable win, considering that Noah, the three-time world 200m champion, was the crowd favourite. After the race, Lyles revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19, which gave context to his race performance. 

With his determination and skills, Tebogo is ready for the challenge of dominating the 200m. He acknowledged that being one of the fastest men means there will be tough competitors, but he has self-confidence. 

He said: “Everybody who’s there on the lineup, it’s a rival. You cannot eliminate somebody because he didn’t perform well at the 2024 Olympics or 2023 World Championships… It’s a new year, new beginnings, new goals…. It’s a rivalry on the track, and then off the track, we are human beings at the end of the day.” 

As a role model 

Tebogo is passionate about encouraging young people to get into sports. Recently, he was named World Athletics’ global ambassador for their Kids Athletics programme. 

As a rising star in his sport, Tebogo has a connection with the next generation of athletes and has a powerful way to promote fitness, teamwork, and a healthy lifestyle. His appointment as the ambassador is a testament to his commitment to fostering growth and athletics from a young age.

Tebogo shared: “It’s all about pushing myself to the maximum limits to try and take those kids from those unlawful behaviours and show them they can do something in sport, either basketball, football or whichever sport.”