Remember how Letsile Tebogo had the world talking after his gold medal run at the Paris 2024 Olympics? After all, he didn’t just win. No, he made a statement that Africa can be a sprinting powerhouse and dominate on the biggest stages. Since then fans have only had one thought that if Tebogo can continue this dominance? Well, let’s just say that didn’t happen. On Saturday, March 29, what was supposed to be his reminder to the world of his greatness, his spotlight, was stolen. That too in quite a fashion. But how did it happen? And where?

Well, the site of this shock was the Maurie Plant meet in the blistering streets of Melbourne, Australia. But while everyone thought that Letsile would win, it didn’t happen. Fellow Motswana, Bayapo Ndori, had other ideas and pulled off a last-second upset that left fans stunned! Now, here’s where it gets interesting. Tebogo wasn’t even running his usual 200m—the event that made him a household name after his heroics in Paris. Instead, he took on the 400m, a grueling one-lap sprint that pushes even the best to their limits. Why the switch?

Letsile Tebogo’s been working on building his speed endurance for the long track season, with his sights set on peaking at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo this September. And for most of the race, it looked like he had it in the bag. He was cruising, leading the pack, and looking strong. But just when it seemed like Tebogo would cross the line first, boom—Ndori surged past him in the dying moments, clocking 45.14 for the win.

Tebogo was right on his heels, finishing 0.12 seconds behind, while Leungo Scotch rounded out the all-Botswana podium in 45.60. Letsile Tebogo’s time? A far cry from his personal best of 44.29 clocked last year in South Africa, but hey, not every race can be perfect, right? Here’s where things get even more puzzling.

Right after his race concluded, Tebogo showed no signs of disappointment as people expected he would express either negative emotions or frustration. Despite his performance, Tebogo demonstrated complete composure, which made him appear as cool as an ice block. And that’s what fans got buzzing about!

Fans sound off after Tebogo’s shocking second-place finish

Fans weren’t holding back after Tebogo’s unexpected second-place finish. One fan asked, “Don’t know why Tebogo let up at the end tbh,” while another added, “Letsile just appears to be content with settling for 2nd.” But yes, why did he look so cool and composed? Well, Tebogo set the pace during most of the race until Bayapo Ndori made a sudden acceleration to defeat both him and the rest of the competitors with a time of 45.14 seconds.

Tebogo achieved 45.26 seconds as his season top mark, although this was significantly slower than his record personal best time of 44.29 seconds. But Letsile Tebogo has no intention of confining his talents. Knowing him, he’s already preparing himself to reverse this situation since the race didn’t meet his expectations. His real focus?

Tebogo plans to beat Noah Lyles in both the 100m and 200m events at the upcoming World Championships in Tokyo this September.  Some fans weren’t just frustrated—they were straight-up calling Tebogo out. One didn’t hold back, saying, “This man shouldn’t look this calm after coming in second, something is missing. Not even sub 45? Mid.”

Another added, “Letsile needs to buckle up and start putting up better performances going forward, not expected from an Olympic champion.” Ouch. But not everyone was ready to jump ship. One loyal fan reminded everyone why Tebogo still commands respect, saying, “No matter what, we know Tebogo is a hero. His confidence is always at peak.” And honestly? That fan hit the nail on the head.

Letsile Tebogo’s confidence wasn’t just for show—he knew exactly what he was doing. During his pre-race press meeting, he expressed his clear objectives. Running the 400-meter race meant something more to him than casual enjoyment. The tactical move involved running a 400m race to enhance his 200m final kick. So, while fans might be scratching their heads over his calm reaction, Tebogo’s just playing the long game. When it’s time to deliver, you can bet he’ll be ready.