Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo claimed a surprise Olympic 200m gold medal as Noah Lyles was denied a sprint double at Paris 2024.
Tebogo, 21, stormed clear of his rivals to clock an African record of 19.46 seconds and finish ahead of American Kenneth Bednarek, who crossed the line in 19.62.
Lyles, crowned the world’s fastest man by five-thousandths of a second in a historically quick 100m final on Sunday night, was unable to compete at the head of the race and matched his Tokyo bronze in 19.70.
It emerged after the race that Lyles had tested positive for Covid and the 27-year-old had to be helped off the track in a wheelchair.
Having burst out on to the track to huge cheers before the race, Lyles was seeking to become the first man since Usain Bolt in 2016 to complete a 100m and 200m double at an Olympic Games.
But Tebogo had other ideas.
A world bronze medallist over the distance last year, Tebogo also took 100m silver in Budapest as Lyles completed a golden treble.
That was a dazzling return for Tebogo at his first senior global championship, but it was nothing compared to his achievement at the Stade de France as he marked his first Olympics with a gold.
Tebogo, sixth in the Paris 100m final, lined up with a 200m personal best of 19.50 – notably down on the favourite’s 19.31.
Showman Lyles made his entrance to huge excitement, seemingly ready to seize his moment with the eyes of the world fixed upon him, but he remained third throughout following a slow start.
Bednarek held out to equal his silver of three years ago in Tokyo – a medal he also won at the 2022 World Championships – but could not overhaul Tebogo, who sprinted clear to win Botswana’s first ever Olympic gold medal.
Zimbabwe’s Tapiwanashe Makarawu and Makanakaishe Charamba were also involved in the final but fell way short. – BBC
