Not all Olympic athletes rise from formidable backgrounds or in developed nations. Instead, some stars are born in the most mundane settings. For Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the story is somewhat similar. The 21-year-old became the first-ever African athlete to win the men’s 200m sprint just hours ago after finishing the race in a personal best of 19.46 seconds. He defeated two American Behemoths, Kenny Bednarek (19.62) and Noah Lyles (19.70), in the process of showcasing how talent can stem from the unlikeliest of places. And yet, despite his triumph, Tebogo’s struggles can never be forgotten.

When Letsile failed to find a place on the podium days ago in the shorter 100m race at the 33rd Olympics, many dismissed his chances of making the next opportunity count. And now, silencing critics, Tebogo has made it evident that he should never have been discounted. Considering the towering obstacles he had to cross to get to the grand stage, his feat now looks all the more emphatic.

Letsile Tebogo had to move mountains to get where he is

Tebogo brought his nation two medals from the 2023 World Championships. And yet, in an article by Mmegi from September last year, “School Boy” was quoted urging for better treatment for athletes to help them better prepare for future tournaments. During an appreciation ceremony for the national team, the Botswanan national record holder in both the 100m and 200m events talked about why it’s important to stand beside athletes during difficult ties. “Even during our downfalls, we should be supported. Athletics is difficult and some of the athletes are depressed,” Tebogo said.

With the widespread popularity track athletes enjoy in the USA, it can be a difficult task to comprehend the conditions in which Letsile had to train. And yet, lack of support wasn’t the only thing that stood in his way to greatness. In an interview with NBC Sports in March this year, Tebogo talked about how poverty was a significant part of his life growing up.

“I used to train without shoes. Shoes were more expensive and we couldn’t afford that because we lived with our extended family so it was difficult for us to get things,” the 2022 African Championships gold medalist said with a very matter-of-fact demeanor about himself. He went on to reveal that his first actual pair of shoes came only after he broke the national record in 2020. With shoes being a prominent feature of his journey from rags to riches, it wasn’t at all surprising that he would choose the same gear to pay the ultimate tribute to the special person he lost just months before the Olympics.

Paying tribute to late mother in the most heartwarming way

Letsile’s mother Seratiwa, his biggest fan, passed away this May. To mend his broken heart, the track star took a month off from training, only to return with a new fire in him that no one seemed to have the answer for in the City of Love. With Seratiwa being a regular customer in the stands (she even visited Budapest for the last World Championships without Letsile knowing) to cheer for her son, the runner most possibly missed having one less voice providing him with the motivation to keep pushing. To make sure his mother was there to witness his moment under the limelight, Letsile added his mother’s birth date on his shoes, the very thing that seems to be entangled with the life of the Tebogo family every step of the way.

However, it wasn’t just his mom’s blessing that brought him the historic achievement. “It’s all about the dedication, the hard work that you put in and why you have started that journey,” the Botswanan star was quoted saying in an article by Yahoo from last weekend. There, he also said that he doesn’t let his mother’s memory hold him back, instead going forward to honor her is the only thought that prevails within.