Lestile Tebogo Reveals Mental Battle After Losing to Noah Lyles in 200m World Championships Final

The Olympic 200m champion Lestile Tebogo reflects on a tough season after finishing fourth in Tokyo, praising perseverance over results.

Botswana sprint sensation Lestile Tebogo endured a bittersweet evening in Tokyo as he finished fourth in the 200m final at the 2025 World Athletics Championships, despite clocking a season’s best of 19.65 seconds.

The Olympic champion came into the race with hopes of replicating last year’s heroics, but it was American star Noah Lyles who stole the show, surging to victory in 19.52 seconds to claim his fourth consecutive world title.

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Tebogo looked disappointed but composed as he reflected on a challenging season and the realities of competing at the highest level just a year after capturing Olympic gold at the age of 21.

“It has been tough this whole season. Last year’s performance was incredible, and to come out here and try to do it again was quite a struggle. Achieving an Olympic gold at just 21 years old left me asking myself, what’s next?” he said.

Mental Reset After Olympic Glory

For Tebogo, this season was as much about mental endurance as it was about physical performance.

“I actually asked my coach the same question — what’s next after this? He told me that this season we just needed to lower our expectations and focus on doing our best to make it into the championship,” he explained.

The young sprinter even considered sitting out the season.

“Yes, I did. I thought that since we accomplished so much last year, maybe we should take a gap year, skip this season, and come back refreshed. But my coach said the more time I stayed away, the harder it would be to stay motivated. So we decided to just push through and see how far we could go.”

Fighting Through Physical and Mental Hurdles

Despite the internal battles, Tebogo’s fourth-place finish came after a season marred by setbacks.

“Honestly, just being here feels like a win by itself. Making it to both finals, despite missing weeks and months of training and struggling with motivation, is something I’m proud of,” he admitted.

He also detailed the physical challenges he faced.

“I was quite heavy at the start of the season and had to work hard to cut weight. That process was tough on my body. From the first Diamond Leagues in China, I dealt with an injury behind my leg — the tendons were tight from the weight changes — and that impacted my performances going forward.”

Looking back, Tebogo remains optimistic despite narrowly missing the podium.

“Considering everything — the missed training, the injuries, and the mental battle — just making it here and competing is something I consider a big victory.”

Meanwhile, Noah Lyles cemented his dominance in the event, holding off compatriot Kenny Bednarek and Jamaican Bryan Levell in a thrilling finish.