Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo have a lot in common, especially when it comes to their bold attitudes. Since the Olympics wrapped up, people have been buzzing about how Tebogo, like Lyles, isn’t afraid to speak his mind. Ever since he made this statement, “If you take something from me, it should be notes.” Since then, fans have been calling him, “Do not spend time engaging the real and imaginary detractors like the yapping Noah Lyles & the rest.” But their similarities go beyond just their personalities. Both athletes have shown they can break through barriers and shine on the track.

At the Paris Olympics, Noah Lyles stole the show in the men’s 100m, narrowly beating his rival Kishane Thompson in a photo finish. On the flip side, Letsile Tebogo pulled off a big upset by taking down the favorite, Lyles, in the men’s 200m final. Tebogo’s win wasn’t without its challenges, though—he faced quite a bit of criticism along the way.

Recently, after finishing second in the 200m at the Diamond League final in Brussels, Tebogo discussed his year on the Citius Mag YouTube channel in a video titled, “Letsile Tebogo Talks Managing Popularity And Attention In Botswana After Winning Olympic 200m Gold.” When the host asked how he assessed his incredible year, which included breaking a world record and winning Olympic gold, Tebogo’s response was powerful and silenced his critics.

He shared his thoughts by saying, “I mean, it showed me that against all odds, you could still do it; you just have to have the belief and the desire to do it. S, for me, I believed in the work that wehade been putting in, and then the tragedy happened, and nobody. I don’t believe everybody has that strong mindset to come up and step up. You know, I’ve had a lot of people say, ‘No, I’m going to see him at the Olympics,’ but I showed up with the medal and I made it with it.”

This year has been a whirlwind for Letsile Tebogo. He broke the 300-meter world record with a blazing 30.69 seconds in February. Then, just a few months before the Paris Olympics, he faced a huge personal loss, his mother, Seratiwa, who was a major supporter of his career, passed away. She had been a familiar face at his events, including the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest.

Given the circumstances, many people thought Tebogo might not be able to compete at his best in Paris, and no one would have blamed him if he had decided not to compete. But he pushed through, motivated by his mother’s dream. As Tebogo shared, “It really means a lot to my late mum because she always dreamt of making it here.”

Tebogo’s year has been a rollercoaster. After nailing gold at the Paris Olympics, he proved the skeptics wrong and showed his incredible talent. Reflecting on his journey in a Citius Mag interview, he shared, “and then today I want to have that trophy but still I’m here…. it showed that the body is now tired because it went beyond his limits you know and I’m happy that I’m injured free and then just to get the ball rolling again.”

Well, in Brussels, Kenny Bednarek showed off his prowess by winning the 200m with a blazing 19.67 seconds. Tebogo, usually known for his top-end speed, finished second with 19.80 seconds, while Alexander Ogando from the Dominican Republic took third. Even though Tebogo didn’t come out on top this time, he still earned a medal. Meanwhile, Noah Lyles, who missed the Memorial Van Damme event, acknowledges Tebogo’s impressive talent. But did Lyles’ absence hint at concerns about the rising threat that Tebogo represents?

Noah Lyles sees Letsile Tebogo as a serious threat nipping at his heels

Noah Lyles has acknowledged Letsile Tebogo as a top rival and a serious threat to his dominance in the coming years. Both sprinters have emerged as the faces of men’s sprinting after their standout performances in Paris, where Lyles claimed the Olympic 100m title with a personal best of 9.79 seconds, and Tebogo defeated him to win the 200m in a new African record of 19.46 seconds. While Lyles wrapped up his season after the Olympics, Tebogo continued to impress.

In a podcast with former sprinter Walter Dix, Lyles praised Tebogo’s talent but expressed confidence in his own continued dominance. “I think he’s the real deal, especially in terms of talent,” Lyles said, though he noted he’s not worried about Tebogo or Erriyon Knighton overtaking him just yet. “The day that I get scared is the day they change their form, that’s the day that I’ll be scared. Because, until I see their form turn into more of a mature professional and aggressive running style, I feel like they will be stuck in chasing their 19.5, 19.49, or chasing me.”

However, Lyles, who has a personal best of 19.31 seconds, feels secure and will only start to worry if he sees major changes in their techniques. As track and field continues to heat up, it’s clear that the competition is getting more exciting!