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Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo wins in Doha 200m debut, but a late glance nearly costs him a dramatic victory.
Botswana sprint king Letsile Tebogo made a dramatic statement in his debut at the Doha Diamond League on Friday night (16 May), claiming victory in the men's 200m with a time of 20.10 seconds — but only just.
A Winning Debut with a Twist
The reigning Olympic champion was in cruise control as he approached the finish line, clearly ahead of the field.
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But in a move that nearly backfired, Tebogo allowed himself a quick glance over his shoulder in the final metres — a glance that almost cost him the race.
USA’s Courtney Lindsey, storming down from Lane 8, took full advantage of the hesitation and surged forward, missing the win by a mere 0.01 seconds.
“I was just checking where everyone was,” Tebogo explained after the race.
“I didn’t think it would be that close, but Lindsey pushed me all the way. It was a lesson — next time, no looking back.”
It was the first men’s 200m event of the 2025 Diamond League season, and the packed Khalifa International Stadium crowd witnessed a nail-biting finish.
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Lindsey clocked 20.11, his season’s best, while Liberia’s Joseph Fahnbulleh claimed third in 20.26.
Canada’s Aaron Brown, who helped his nation win 4x100m relay gold at Paris 2024, took fourth with a 20.35 finish. Italy’s Filippo Tortu, another Olympic relay champion, was fifth in 20.41.
Sprint Drama Under the Doha Lights
Tebogo’s bold move added a layer of drama to what was already a stacked field.
With a slight +0.7 m/s tailwind and ideal sprinting conditions, almost every athlete clocked a season-best — a clear sign of how competitive this early-season showdown was.
American Kyree King placed sixth in 20.63, South Africa’s Shaun Maswanganyi came seventh in 20.78, and Switzerland’s William Reais closed out the field in 20.93.
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Tebogo, just 21, had only raced the 200m once this season prior — a win at April’s Botswana Grand Prix (20.23). His recent form over 100m saw mixed results: seventh in Xiamen (26 April) and third in Shanghai/Keqiao (3 May). But Friday’s win reinforces his reputation as the man to beat in the half-lap event.
“I’m happy with the win, but I know I have to stay focused,” Tebogo said.
“Every second counts, and today showed me that.”
All eyes will be on Tebogo as the Diamond League continues, not just for his speed but whether he has learned his lesson about finishing with focus.
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