Noah Lyles Stuns Letsile Tebogo in 200m Season Debut

Olympic Champions Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles.

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Olympic Champions Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles.

Noah Lyles Stuns Letsile Tebogo in 200m Season Debut

Stephen Awino 00:50 - 12.07.2025

Noah Lyles opened his 200m season with a dominant 19.88s win over Letsile Tebogo at the Monaco Diamond League.

Noah Lyles kicked off his 200m season's debut in spectacular fashion, clocking an impressive 19.88 seconds to claim victory at the Monaco Diamond League on Friday, July 11.

The reigning 100m world champion made a strong statement as he outran Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, who finished second in 19.97, and Zimbabwe’s rising star Charamba Makanakaishe, who grabbed third place with a personal best of 19.99.

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In what was billed as a showdown between two of the fastest men on the circuit, Lyles’ explosive bend and smooth transition into the straight left little room for Tebogo to recover, despite the Motswana sprinter’s trademark late surge.

It marked a powerful opening 200m performance for Lyles, who is eyeing World Championship gold in Tokyo in August.

The surprise of the evening came from 23-year-old Makanakaishe Charamba, who dipped under the 20-second barrier for the first time in his career.

His 19.99 effort not only secured him a podium finish but also firmly placed him among Africa’s emerging sprinting elite.

With the 2025 World Championships looming, the Monaco showdown served as a thrilling preview of what promises to be a dramatic 200m battle in Tokyo, with Lyles once again proving he is the man to beat.