Letsile Tebogo has etched his name in history. The sprinter from Botswana made his Olympic debut with a bang! Upsetting the fan favorite Noah Lyles, he grabbed gold in the 200 m event with a timing of 19.46 seconds! The Track and Field star not just won his first personal Olympic Gold medal, but also his country’s. Yes, this is Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal, and they had no qualms in showing the world how important it is to them.

Tebogo returned home to a hero’s welcome! The 21-year-old was greeted by over 30,000 people at Botswana’s largest stadium. As the Olympic athletes emerged, they were welcomed by traditional dancers adorned in animal skins and beads. President Mokgweetsi Masisi was also present to receive them. Later, the athletes were paraded around the stadium on a rooftop bus, waving at the enthusiastic crowd. Botswana even declared a public holiday to celebrate their heroes. After his win, Letsile received widespread praise from fans and fellow athletes alike, including Fred Kerley!

Fred Kerley’s witty comparison of Letsile Tebogo!

Imagine being legendary enough to be compared to another legend, by none other than a celebrated athlete himself! That is Letsile Tebogo for you. Fred Kerley, the esteemed American athlete, took to Twitter to celebrate Tebogo’s iconic win. Seemingly not a man of many words, he captioned a pic of Tebogo with a single line. But the few words were more than enough to show his appreciation of him and his win.

“Ima tell my kids this was Nelson Mandela“, wrote Kerley in his caption for Tebogo. Nelson Mandela is one of the most revered figures for the African diaspora. As South Africa’s first black head of state and the first elected in a democratic election, Mandela is a symbol of hope and progress. Comparing Tebogo, who brought Botswana’s first Olympic gold home, to Mandela was Fred Kerley’s cheeky way of showing his support and highlighting the significance of Tebogo’s achievement.

Kerley, the Olympic silver medalist and a record-breaker in his own right, has been a vocal supporter of Tebogo. He had previously tweeted his support when Tebogo received a $75,000 cash prize following his gold medal win. “Letsile Tebogo deserves that!” he had tweeted. Having competed at a high level himself, Kerley understands the numerous challenges athletes face, from dietary changes to intense workouts. They put their blood, sweat, and tears into their training. The least we can do is appreciate their immense efforts, regardless of medals. Unfortunately, that wasn’t the case with Kenny Bednarek.

Is an Olympic silver medal not enough?

In any competition, there are winners and losers, with only one gold medal and one ‘first place.’ However, this doesn’t diminish the efforts of the other competitors. Securing a spot on the Olympic podium is a remarkable achievement and deserves recognition. American sprinter Kenny Bednarek, who finished second to Tebogo in the 200m at the Paris Olympics, alongside Noah Lyles, who claimed bronze, didn’t even receive an upgraded flight despite his hard work for the USA. “No flight upgrade after a silver medal :(“ he had tweeted on 13 august, with a heavy heart.

In stark contrast to Letsile Tebogo’s triumphant return to Botswana, where he was greeted by over 30,000 cheering fans and a public holiday was declared in his honor, Kenny Bednarek’s experience has been less celebratory. Despite winning a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, Bednarek has faced online criticism and received no additional recognition or upgraded flight. However, Bednarek’s response exemplifies the true spirit of an athlete. Unfazed by the setbacks, he views these challenges as motivation to excel further. As a 2x Olympian and 2x Silver Medalist, Bednarek is channeling his determination into preparing for the 2028 LA Olympics, with aspirations of winning three gold medals. His resolve to bounce back stronger is a testament to his unwavering commitment and resilience.