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The 20-year-old has strongly been compared to Noah Lyles since clinching silver at the World Athletics championships in Budapest in 2023.
Botswana sprint wonderkid Letsile Tebogo has addressed comparisons to fellow American compatriot Noah Lyles as he continues his preparations for the Paris Olympic games.
Tebogo claimed silver in the final of the World Athletics Championships in 2023 in Budapest, Hungary, and has since gone on to break more records, including the 300m world record earlier this year.
The 20-yea-old has been tipped as a favorite to give Lyles a run for his money, and will be going toe to toe with Kenya’s very own Ferdinand Omanyala in efforts to raise the African flag high in the category.
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13:42 - 19.04.2024
Ferdinand Omanyala opens up on difficult period he worked as a metal handyman to make ends meet
Omanyala once fended for his young family on just USD 7 (ksh 700) a day in 2017 after suffering a 14-month-long injury.
Many sprinting greats including Michael Johnson and Justin Gatlin have revealed their excitement about the youngster, and he has now addressed those comparisons.
“I would not say it motivates me in anyway but it just brings too much attention to what you are doing,” Tebogo said ahead of the AbsaKipKeino classic in Nairobi.
“I just turn that off and then focus on the next level. The buzz is always going to be there every time when you compete. They watch and see what you are doing. I block that out and focus on preparations.”
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20:00 - 18.04.2024
World 400M silver medalist Matthew Hudson-Smith on how training with Noah Lyles enabled him to improve
The British sprinter moved to America in 2017 after a disappointing eight place finish in the 400m of the 2016 Olympic games, where he got to train with the likes of Noah Lyles.
Tebogo has tended to stay off social media in build up to major tournaments like he did last year. Asked about whether he would revert to the same strategy this year, he said:
“I am back for now but I will be gone very soon.”
Despite his remarkable achievements on the track, Tebogo has earned the affectionate nickname "schoolboy." He revealed the origin of this moniker, saying,
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15:34 - 19.04.2024
Letsile Tebogo stuns in Ksh1m watch as he promises to light up Absa Kip Keino Classic
Botswana sprint sensation Letsile Tebogo caught the attention with his expensive timepiece as he rocked a renown Swiss luxury brand ahead of the Absa Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi.
“It came about in 2021 during the world relays in Poland. I was the only young guest there. I was the only one who was attending school back then. Everyone else was a senior."
“Every time they would diss me, telling me I needed to focus on my school work, my homeworks and everything, so that is how the name came about.”
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