All eyes were on Letsile Tebogo as he took on the 400-meter challenge in Pretoria, but the race didn’t unfold as expected. The young sprinting sensation, known for his explosive speed in the 100m and 200m, stepped onto the Pretoria track looking to make a statement. Nonetheless, in a highly skilled race, one participant was determined to steal the show. And it was Bayapo Ndori who turned heads instead, storming to victory and leaving Tebogo chasing at the finish line.

At Pretoria’s Pilditch Stadium, Nodri showcased his resilience with his season best at men’s 400m at ASA Grand Prix. Track & Field Gazette posted on X, “Bayapo Ndori 🇧🇼 won the men’s 400m at the ASA Grand Prix in Pretoria, clocking a Season’s Best (SB) of 44.59s!” Motswana track and field star left stars like Letsile Tebogo behind. Olympic medalist Ndori took the heat with a margin of just 0.83 seconds.

With Ndori’s best season finish so far, Letsile Tebogo also finished the race in 45.42s with his season best finish, and third position was taken by Zakithi Nene of South Africa. The Botswana track star returned on the track for the first time in 2025, but it was a huge setback that he couldn’t clinch the first place. Though he clocked his season best, he fell short as a rival stole the spotlight. But it’s not like the 21-year-old hasn’t had his moment of glory.

Do we remember the men’s 200 meters final at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris? That was a triumphant moment for the sprinter, as Lyles is one of the top athletes, and Tebogo left him for the third place. He clocked in 19.46 seconds, which was the fifth-fastest 200-meter time ever! Meanwhile, Lyles could only put up 19.70 seconds.

Despite significant victories after that, this ASA Grand Prix setback has put Tebogo to the test. But let’s not forget what all he has accomplished.

Letsile Tebogo has done quite a lot

Letsile Tebogo, Botswana’s sprinting prodigy, has been making headlines with his remarkable performances on the track. Just take the example of his 200 meters title at the Weltlasse Diamond League meeting in Zurich, where he clocked in 19.55 seconds.  And let’s not forget that he set a new African record of finishing 200 m in 19.46 seconds at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 200 meters. It was a big deal, especially because Tebogo became the first ever athlete to win an Olympic gold medal for Botswana.

His historical victory was met with nationwide celebrations, leading Botswana to declare a national holiday on August 9. If that was not enough to honor Tebogo’s achievement, the government also awarded him two houses, cementing his status as a national hero.

This victory not only marked Botswana’s first Olympic gold but also showcased Tebogo’s ability to outperform established champions like Noah Lyles. Riding the wave of his Olympic triumph, Tebogo has only strengthened his grip on the sprinting world. With a blistering 9.86 seconds in the 100 meters and an unmatched 30.69 seconds in the 300 meters—the fastest ever recorded—he continues to push boundaries.

Tebogo’s dominance on the track didn’t go unnoticed, earning him the prestigious title of World Athletics’ Male Athlete of the Year in 2024. Looking ahead, Tebogo is set to embark on a new challenge by competing in the 400 meters at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne on March 29, 2025. Tebogo has expressed excitement about this opportunity, stating, “I will be stepping up to the challenge of the 400m. Starting the season with this long-distance challenge will set the stage for what’s ahead.”

With a season-best at ASA Grand Prix, Tebogo will compete at Melbourne and will surely implement his learnings from this setback. With his track record of exceeding expectations, there’s much anticipation surrounding his performance in this new arena.