Letsile Tebogo nicknamed “School-boy” is a celebrated Botswana sprinter who competes in 100 m, 200 m and 400 m events. Moreover, the youthful athlete contests in 4X100 m and 4X400 m relays.
In August 2024, Tebogo won the 200 m gold medal in 19.46 s at the 2024 Paris Olympics making history as the first ever Botswana to win an Olympics gold. He as well became the first native African to win an Olympic gold medal in 200 m. Furthermore, the achievement made him the event’s youngest winner in since 1956 and the fifth fastest in history.
At the August 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, the gifted prodigy claimed the gold in 100 m in 10.19 s. Subsequently, he became the first Botswana to win gold at a global competition in 100 m. Furthermore, Tebogo is the world U20 100 m record-holder in 9.96 s set in April 2022 in Gaborone. He became the first Botswana to break the 10-second barrier in 100 m.
Additionally, in June 2022, the athletics marvel won the African Championship’s 200 m becoming the youngest champion in history. On 17 February 2024, he achieved a world best record of 30.69 s in 300 m in Pretoria, South Africa.
At both the 2021 and 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships, Letsile won in 100 m and finished second in 200 m. In the 2023 senior World Championships, he won silver and bronze in 100 m and 200 m respectively.
Tebogo idolizes Jamaican legendary sprinter Usain Bolt as his role model.
Age and Birthday
Born in Kanye, Botswana on 7 June 2003, Tebogo is 21 years old at 2024.
Height
Tebogo is of above average stature of approximately 184 cm (6 feet).
Letsile Tebogo Family
Tebogo together with younger brother have been brought up single-headedly by their mother, Seratiwa Tebogo. She unfortunately passed on in May 2024 following a short illness. The Botswana wunderkind dedicated his Paris Olympics victory to his late mother and inspiration.
No specific details about the athletes brother and father are available that the moment. However, we are keeping tabs and we will update this section once we get the information.
Letsile Tebogo Career
Early days
From a tender age, Tebogo showed great potential in sports more specially in football and athletics. In 2016 he won 100 m, 200 m and 4X100 m relay events at the Botswana Primary School Sports Association competitions. He consequently got a call up to the national team for the Confederation of schools Sport Association of Southern Africa Championships held in Namibia. At the competitions, a 13 year old Tebogo won silver in both 200 m and 4X100 m events.
Junior level
Letsile’s maiden feature at international stage was at the May 2021 World Athletics Relays in Chorzow, Poland. At the World U20 Championships held in Nairobi in August 2021, he claimed gold and silver in 100 m and 200 m respectively. The historic victory in 100 m made him the first Botswana ever to win gold in an international competition. In addition, he won silver in 200 m in 20.38 s.
During the February 2022 Botswana Athletics Championships, Tebogo clocked 10.08 s in 100 m, setting a new national record. In April at the Gaborone International Meet, he made history as the first Botswana to break the 10-second barrier and as well set a new world U20 record of 9.96 s in 100 m. During the World U20 Championships in Cali, Tebogo broke his own 100 m record improving it to 9.91 s.
Senior level
In his senior debut in July at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in Eugene, Tebogo bettered his time in 100 m to 9.94 s.
On 8 August 2024, at the Paris Olympics, the Botswana phenom claimed gold medal in the 200 m after clocking 19.46 s ahead of American pair Kenny Bednarek (19.62) and Noah Lyles (19.70) who won Silver and Bronze respectively.
Letsile Tebogo Achievements and Medals
- Personal best: 100 m: 9.86 National record (Paris 2024), 200 m: 19.46 African and Nation record (Paris), 300 m: 30.69 World best (Pretoria), 400 m: 44:29 (Pretoria)
Medals
- World U20 Athletics Championships: Gold 100 m and Silver 200 m (2021 Nairobi), Gold 100 m and Silver 200 m (2022 Cali)
- World Relays: Gold 4X400 m (2024 Nassau)
- African Championships: Gold 200 m (2022 Saint Pierre)
- Olympic Games: Gold 200 m (2024 Paris)
- World Athletics Championships: Silver 100 m and Bronze 200 m (2023 Budapest)
Letsile Tebogo Net Worth
Tebogo has a estimated net worth of $1.5 million at 2024.