This year has been nothing short of legendary for Letsile Tebogo! The 21-year-old from Botswana shook the world at the Paris Olympics, snatching gold in the 200m and leaving Noah Lyles, the 100m champ, in third. And it wasn’t just a win; it was historic. Tebogo clocked an insane 19.46 seconds, the fifth-fastest 200m time ever, bringing home Botswana’s first Olympic gold. Talk about making history! But what hit everyone in the feels was his tribute to his late mom, Elizabeth Seratiwa, who passed in May. After crossing the finish line, he showed off his orange spikes with her birthday written on the heel. If that doesn’t scream dedication, what does?

And guess what? The winning streak didn’t stop there! Tebogo just bagged World Athletics’ Male Athlete of the Year, beating—you guessed it—Noah Lyles again. The dude is on fire, and he’s proving that African sprinters can dominate. But here’s the kicker: Tebogo recently shared something personal that makes this award even more special.

Tebogo’s unforgettable season

After being crowned World Athletics’ Athlete of the Year, Letsile Tebogo was genuinely surprised. The announcement came after a fan vote and a decision by World Athletics during their 2024 awards ceremony in Monaco. Tebogo, who didn’t expect to hear his name, was clearly humbled by the honor. It’s even more impressive considering he was up against the likes of Jakob Ingebrigtsen, the Olympic 5000m champ, and Noah Lyles, who didn’t even make the cut for a nomination.

When Tebogo heard his name announced, he was totally taken aback. “This means a lot,” he said. “It’s not just about the team that is around you; there are a lot of fans out there that really want us to win something great for the continent.” You can really feel the weight of his words—this guy is all about representing.

Tebogo added, “It was a real surprise to hear my name because I didn’t expect this.” And this isn’t just a one-off moment for Tebogo. He’s been on fire all year. After his Olympic win, he kept the momentum going by bagging the ANOC Award for Best Male Athlete of Paris 2024 in October. He then carried on to rule the Diamond League by winning it. But the best of it is that he ran the 200m in less than 20 seconds nine times this year. This guy is basically just now reaching his full potential, and to be quite honest, it’s thrilling to watch what he is going to achieve in the future. But it seems he has already planned for the next year!

The shocking reason Letsile Tebogo is changing the game for Africa

Paris Olympic gold medallist Letsile Tebogo also snatched a silver in the 4 x 400m relay and inspired young athletes all across Africa.“It has opened a lot of doors for me,” he explained, “and it has created more empowerment for the youth back in the country and across the African continent.” He noted the continent could do better in sports, but he said a major flaw that needs to be addressed is an investment in resources like coaches and quality infrastructure.

“Once you find a gem in Africa, you don’t know when you’re going to find the next gem,” Tebogo has said this and called on individuals to provide more assistance to help the talented individual grow. Tebogo, recalling the African legend of sprinters such as Frankie Fredericks, is very keen and focused on going even further in an endeavor of eradicating barriers for the upcoming athletes. “If we have the resources, then Africa could be one of the deadliest continents,” he said, hoping his success would inspire others to follow in his footsteps.

Despite this fame that now flows with Tebogo, he remains a humble fellow. However, his accolades remain a history in his home country that was established when the government gave him two houses and a public holiday in celebration of his victory. “I just let my legs do the talking,” he said, in contrast to his more flamboyant rivals like Noah Lyles, whom he has criticized for his showy track entrances. Looking to the 2025 season, Tebogo wants to keep on making his country and the entire continent proud since he believes that his journey is just starting and there is more to come. “I believe things will click in 2025,” he said, hopeful for an even brighter future.