Letsile Tebogo Gets Candid About the Key Factor Behind His Xiamen Setback

Tebogo spearheaded Botswana to glory at the 2024 World Relay.

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The Botswana National Olympic Committee has responded to claims of unpaid allowances to Olympic athletes including Letsile Tebogo.

Letsile Tebogo Gets Candid About the Key Factor Behind His Xiamen Setback

Abigael Wafula 02:40 - 06.05.2025

Letsile Tebogo opened up about a key mental hurdle that affected his performance in Xiamen, but remains optimistic moving forward.

Letsile Tebogo has opened up about what cost him a great show in the men’s 100m at the Diamond League Meeting in Xiamen.

The world 100m silver medallist could only afford a seventh-place finish, crossing the finish line in a time of 10.20 seconds.

His performance raised a lot of eyebrows from fans across the globe, however, he bounced back swiftly to take third in the men’s 100m at the Diamond League Meeting in Shanghai.

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Letsile Tebogo defends his Xiamen performance

Letsile Tebogo
Letsile Tebogo

Speaking about his performance in Xiamen, the reigning Olympic 200m champion revealed that his mind was heavily conditioned to run the 400m, and it took time before it could come down to the 100m.

Tebogo started his season with a series of 400m races, starting from the BAA Track And Field Series 2 before proceeding to the ACNW League 6.

Letsile Tebogo then competed at the ASA Athletics Grand Prix 1 before racing at the Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne. He then made his 200m debut at the Botswana Golden Grand Prix, winning the race.

“My mind was still logged into the 400m, and now I have a week to prepare and bring it back to where it belongs, and I believe that has really helped,” Letsile Tebogo explained in an interview with Sports Passion.

Letsile Tebogo on his Chinese fans

Letsile Tebogo
Letsile Tebogo

The world 200m bronze medallist was shocked to see the number of people who recognised him and showered him with love.

He revealed that it was something he never expected, noting that he just knew he was famous, but was unsure about the friendships he would make.

“It’s great to know how many people love me. At first, I didn’t even know that I had so many fans from across the globe; even now, I see so many Chinese fans,” Letsile Tebogo revealed.

“I never thought I would have friends here, but I was really surprised to see how many people love me. It’s a great thing to know and feel like you have inspired people.”

Speaking about the accolade he loves most from the 2024 season, Letsile Tebogo revealed that being nominated for the Laureus World Sports Awards.

Letsile Tebogo pointed out that the homecoming was also a great thing and he would never take it for granted.

Aside from those, Letsile Tebogo also won the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) award for best male athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and the World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year award.

“The most special one, I believe, was being nominated for the Laureus Awards, that is the most important one. however, I don’t underestimate the homecoming ceremony; it was truly a special one, too,” Letsile Tebogo revealed.

Despite a rocky start in Xiamen, Letsile Tebogo's honest reflection on his mental shift from the 400m to the 100m shows his commitment to growth and adaptability.

With the support of his global fanbase and a string of prestigious recognitions fueling his motivation, the young sprint star remains firmly on track for an impressive season ahead.