Botswana's Letsile Tebogo Wins Gold in Men's 200m Sprint

In Summary

• Noah Lyles experienced a surprising defeat in the 200 meters on Thursday, finishing with a bronze medal for the second consecutive Olympic Games. Botswana's Letsile Tebogo claimed the gold, while American Kenny Bednarek took silver.
• Tebogo, only 21 years old, led the race from start to finish, securing gold with a time of 19.46 seconds, marking the fourth-fastest time in history. Bednarek finished in 19.62 seconds, and Lyles completed the race in 19.70 seconds.
• After the race, Lyles collapsed on the track and was attended to by medics before being taken off in a wheelchair. This marked his first defeat in the 200m since the Tokyo Olympics.
• Lyles had previously used his Tokyo bronze as motivation, famously slamming it on a table during a press conference after winning the 100m. Unfortunately, he will now add another bronze to his collection.
• Tebogo maintained his lead as the sprinters reached the curve, the point where Lyles typically makes his strong finish. However, there was no such finish this time, and Tebogo crossed the line first for the second consecutive night.

Gaborone, Botswana- In a surprising turn of events, Noah Lyles, the American sprint sensation, found himself finishing with a bronze medal in the 200 meters at the Olympics for the second consecutive time. Lyles, who had not been beaten in the 200m since the Tokyo Olympics, was outpaced by Botswana’s rising star, Letsile Tebogo, who claimed gold, and fellow American Kenny Bednarek, who secured silver.

The 200-meter final was anticipated to be Lyles’ race, particularly after his thrilling victory in the 100m just four nights earlier. However, it was Tebogo, only 21 years old, who led the race from start to finish, clocking an impressive 19.46 seconds—the fourth-fastest time in history. Bednarek, who had also won silver in Tokyo, finished close behind with a time of 19.62 seconds, while Lyles completed the race in 19.70 seconds, securing the bronze.

The result was a stark contrast to Lyles’ dominance in the 200m over the past few years. After the race, the disappointment was evident as Lyles collapsed onto the track, where medics quickly attended to him. He was later taken off the track in a wheelchair, marking the culmination of a challenging and unexpected race.

Lyles had entered these Olympics with the bronze medal from Tokyo serving as a source of motivation. Following his 100m victory, he brought that bronze medal to the press conference, dramatically slamming it on the table, emphasizing how it had fueled his drive for three years. Now, with another bronze in hand, Lyles will have to reassess and find new motivation for future competitions.

The final also highlighted Tebogo’s extraordinary talent, as he defeated Lyles for the second straight night in what has traditionally been Lyles’ favorite race. In the semifinal, Lyles had finished second to Tebogo and skipped his usual press meeting to head to the medical tent, with his coach assuring that he was fine.

As the sprinters reached the curve in the final, Tebogo maintained his lead, a point in the race where Lyles is known for his powerful closing speed. However, on this occasion, there was no strong finish, and Tebogo crossed the finish line first, solidifying his position as one of the fastest sprinters in history.