Letsile Tebogo might have won gold in Paris, but his path wasn’t without its heartaches. He undoubtedly made history as the first African to win the Olympic 200 meters, crossing the finish line in an impressive 19.46 seconds and outpacing American stars Kenny Bednarek and a COVID-hit Noah Lyles. But it wasn’t an easy road for him at all! With every stride, he carried his mother’s memory with him. At just 22, he wore spikes with his mother’s birthdate inscribed on them, saying, “It’s basically me carrying her through every stride that I take. To take her with me gives me a lot of motivation.”

His rival, Kenny Bednarek, well aware of it, couldn’t help but praise Tebogo’s determination, taking to his YouTube channel, “Kenny Bednarek, OLY,“ to recap their race at the Paris Olympics. Reflecting on the 200m race, Kenny described the familiar routine as the gun went off, finding his rhythm and hitting the turn in what he called an “out of body experience.”

He shared how he felt strong coming off the bend but acknowledged that Tebogo had something extra that day, saying, “Tebogo ran a better race; he was running for his mom. He had a really crazy… 100 meters last.” With admiration, Kenny added, “Congrats to him,” recognizing the deeper motivation that fueled Tebogo’s win.

You might wonder how Letsile Tebogo’s mother passed away. Well, at the age of just 44, his mother died in May after a brief illness. To honor her, Tebogo had even her initials painted on his fingernails, carrying her memory with him as he competed. “It was a great tribute to her because she had always been caring,” Tebogo said.

He shared how he felt strong coming off the bend, but acknowledged that Tebogo had something extra that day, saying, “Tebogo ran a better race, he was running for his mom. He had a really crazy…. 100 meters last.” With admiration, Kenny added, “Congrats to him,” recognizing the deeper motivation that fueled Tebogo’s win.

“Through thick and thin, she was always there, supportive of everything I did.” Despite being by her side during her illness, Tebogo was often torn between his career and family. “I wasn’t really there because I had to travel back and forth, but she understood that my job didn’t allow me to stay. I believe she understands, wherever she is.”

The loss was devastating for Tebogo, who admitted the first few weeks after her passing felt like the end of his world, his career, and everything he’d worked for. But with the support of his coach and team, he learned to take it day by day. “They pushed me, even when I didn’t have the motivation to train. They’d say, ‘Just come and watch us train; maybe you’ll feel motivated.'” Slowly, things began to fall back into place.

Tebogo made the decision to leave home and head to Europe, distancing himself from the pain. That choice paid off in a monumental way, as he went on to make history in Paris, winning Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal with a national record of 19.46 seconds in the 200 meters. However, while Tebogo claimed gold in Paris, his rival Kenny Bednarek wasn’t ready to settle.

Kenny Bednarek tops Letsile Tebogo for the 200m Diamond League crown

After winning the Diamond League season title in the 200-meter event with a time of 19.67 seconds, at the Diamond League Final in Brussels, Kenny Bednarek made a comeback from his second-place finish at the Olympics to secure his overall victory. In a race, he narrowly defeated Letsile Tebogo, from Botswana, by 13 hundredths of a second. This victory held significance for Bednarek, as Tebogo had previously bested him at the Paris Olympics with a time of 19.46 compared to Bednarek’s 19.62.

Before arriving in Brussels for the competition, Tebogo had mostly won against him in their encounters; however, this time around, Bednarek was determined to change that narrative given his personal best of 19:57 from Zurich, which puts him at the same rank as the eighth fastest sprinter in history. And boom, Tebogo settled for second place with a time of 19:80 as he struggled to reach his top speed, while Alexander Ogando, from the Dominican Republic, secured the third position with a time of 19:87.

After the race, Tebogo reflected on the challenges he’s been facing since his Olympic victory. “I wanted to win the Diamond Trophy, but it has been a rollercoaster after the Olympics. So it wasn’t easy to keep the focus. The cameras are more on me now, but I have to focus on myself,” he told reporters. Even though he didn’t take the win this time, Tebogo’s focus is clear, and he’s already looking ahead to what’s next.