21 August 2023
- Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo made history at the World Athletics Championships
- The youngster became the first African to win a medal in the men’s 100m at the event
- Tebogo finished second behind American Noah Lyles who won his first 100m world title
Botswana 100-metre sprinter, Letsile Tebogo, has become the first African to win a men’s 100m medal at the World Athletics Championships.
The 20-year-old sprinter clocked 9.99 seconds in a sensational race won by America’s Noah Lyles, who promised gold in the final and delivered in a time of 9.83 seconds. Africa’s biggest hopes were South Africa’s Akani Simbine, Kenya’s Ferdinand Omanyala, and Tebogo.
Simbine was disqualified in the semi-final for a false start, while Omanyala – Africa’s fastest man – finished seventh in the final. The 100m race was highly anticipated despite defending champion, Fred Kerley, getting knocked out in the semi-final.
Noah Lyles eyeing Usain Bolt’s 200m record at 2023 World Athletics Championships
St Kitts and Nevis’ Kim Collins won the 100m race in Paris in 2003 and since then, an American or a Jamaican has won the event. The continent of Africa is not known for sprinting, yet Tebogo, Omanyala, and Simbine have led the way.
Tebogo makes history at WAC
Africa is known for their long- and middle-distance runners from East Africa, but Tebogo’s silver medal gives Africa their first ever medal at the World Athletics Championships since it was inaugurated in 1983, per World Athletics.
The silver medal caps off a phenomenal season for the youngster, who will also run in the 200m. He holds the African record in the 200m, which he broke in the 2023 London Diamond League last month, per Olympics.
The young Motswana will look to win another medal in the 200m in the nine-day event in Hungary. Considering he is only 20, Tebogo could break all kinds of records when he reaches his prime.
