By: Chioma Madonna Ndukwu
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo has triumphed over the favored American sprinter Noah Lyles to win the men’s 200-meter final at the Stade de France. Lyles, who was confident after his 100-meter victory, was overtaken by Tebogo in the final stretch, securing the gold with an impressive time of 19.46 seconds—one of the fastest in history.
Despite a strong start, Lyles was edged out by Tebogo and then by fellow American Kenneth Bednarek, who took the silver, leaving Lyles with a bronze medal, mirroring his result from the Tokyo Olympics. The shocking outcome left Lyles reflecting on his performance, especially after carrying his 2021 bronze to Paris as motivation.
Tebogo celebrated his victory by ringing the victory bell, marking a historic win for Botswana.
Source: CNN (Kyle Feldscher, Paris)