Letsile Tebogo Reveals Secret Behind Stunning 200m Victory in Lausanne

Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo has revealed the secret behind his impressive performance at the Diamond League Meeting in Lausanne.

The Botswana star stormed to victory in 19.87 seconds, producing a commanding run to finish ahead of South Africa’s Sinesipho Dambile, who clocked 19.98 seconds.

Zimbabwe’s Makanakaishe Charamba completed the podium in third place after crossing the finish line in 20.14 seconds.

Speaking after the race, Letsile Tebogo explained that his main focus during the Lausanne race was executing the opening section of the 200m effectively, particularly through the bend and the early stages.

Tebogo said he was targeting a very fast split over that portion of the race and wanted to use it as an indication of how his body was responding after the demanding start.

He added that the performance was also part of a gradual process of assessing his condition and building towards a complete 200m effort.

Rather than focusing solely on the final time, Letsile Tebogo viewed the race as an opportunity to evaluate his speed and physical response before making further improvements in his upcoming races.

“For me, it was all about running the curve, the first 150m. I think I should be the fastest in that time split, but it was all about running the first 150m to see how the body is going to respond, and then the next race is just to improve from that 150m to run the whole 200m,” Letsile Tebogo said.

Letsile Tebogo also spoke warmly about his connection with Lausanne, joking that after making regular appearances in the Swiss city over the past four years, he has become fond enough of the place to consider making it a second home.

He expressed his appreciation for the atmosphere and said he enjoys every opportunity to compete there and connect with the local supporters.

Looking at the remainder of the season, Letsile Tebogo admitted that maintaining the required mental strength can be challenging after a long campaign.

However, he said his priority at this stage is to enjoy the final stretch of the season, giving himself the freedom to embrace the experience rather than allowing the pressure of competition to become overwhelming.

“It's a bit confusing because we have been putting in the work also, and the track is about 0.5% of what you have been putting in, so if there's change, then definitely it's here, and I love every inch of it. It's been 4 years coming to Lausanne, and I think by now they should find me a small plot so that I can just move over here and inspire the people of Switzerland,” Letsile Tebogo said.

“It’s quite challenging mentally to carry on throughout this whole season, but for us it's all about enjoying every inch of this last part of the season. Do whatever you feel like you could enjoy so that it doesn't take into the tap into the me.”