Letsile Tebogo, the 2024 Olympic 200m champion, has expressed his deep gratitude for sport, saying it saved him from a life that could have involved ransacking, pickpocketing, and eventually imprisonment.
The Botswanan sprinter, who made history with a blistering 19.46s finish in the 200m final at last summer’s Olympic Games, now stands as one of the world’s brightest stars. However, his journey to the top could have taken a very different turn.
Tebogo, who left American duo Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles trailing in his wake to claim gold, revealed that his rise to global stardom would have been unlikely had it not been for the intervention of sport in his life.
Reflecting on his early years, he explained how growing up in the village of Kanye, in Botswana, there was a high chance he would have turned to a life of crime.
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He shared his story with BBC Sport Africa:
“Without sport, I [would] probably be a criminal by now. In the neighbourhood that I was growing up in, there were a lot of criminals. We thought that was the only way to survive.
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Tebogo’s love for sports
From a young age, Tebogo was drawn to sport, initially as a footballer where he found himself on the wing. However, it was in athletics that he truly found his calling.
By 2021, he had fully committed to track and field, making his first international appearance at the World Athletics Relays.
His rise in the sport has been nothing short of meteoric. In 2022, Tebogo broke the U20 100m record with an electrifying 9.91s, before further cementing his status as a rising star with a 19.96s performance in the U20 African 200m.
His success at the youth level set the stage for his Olympic triumph in Paris, where his 19.46s finish in the 200m made him the fastest African ever over the distance.
Tebogo’s journey has not been without its challenges, though. In May 2024, he suffered the devastating loss of his mother, Serawita, who had been a constant source of support throughout his career.
Despite the grief, Tebogo found the strength to carry on, powering through the heartbreak to enjoy a stellar year. His efforts were recognised when he was named World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year in December 2024.
Given his own challenging upbringing and his personal journey, Tebogo has now taken on the role of Ambassador for the Kids Athletics Programme.
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This initiative aims to transform the lives of young people around the world by introducing them to the power of sport. Through this programme, Tebogo hopes to provide others with the same opportunity that ultimately set him on the path to Olympic gold.
