Letsile Tebogo eyes fastest man in the world record
Letsile Tebogo, the newly crowned Olympic 200m champion, is aiming to surpass Usain Bolt’s legendary 200m world record, which has remained unbroken for over a decade.
The 21-year-old sprinter from Botswana has already made his mark in athletics history by winning his first Olympic gold medal in the 200m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, clocking a personal best and African record of 19.46 seconds.
Tebogo’s remarkable time in Paris places him among the elite, ranking as the fifth fastest man in Olympic history over 200m. His performance also ranks as the ninth fastest ever recorded in the event. Recently, he further showcased his outstanding form by running 19.64 seconds to claim victory at the Lausanne Diamond League.
With his eye-catching performances, Tebogo now believes he could soon challenge Usain Bolt’s iconic 19.19-second world record set in 2009. In a recent interview with The Inside Lane, Tebogo discussed his aspirations, stating that while he sees the possibility of breaking Bolt’s record, he is not putting pressure on himself to do so immediately. “If it comes, it will come eventually,” he said, indicating that he might make a serious attempt at the record when he turns 24.
Despite his cautious approach, Tebogo expressed confidence in his ability to match Bolt, saying, “I don’t think it will take long… I could see it. It’s about 10 metres away from me.” His next opportunity to edge closer to this goal will be at the Silesia Diamond League, where fans will eagerly watch to see if he can continue his impressive form.
Tebogo’s ambition and talent have already drawn comparisons to Bolt, and his journey toward potentially rewriting the record books is one that the athletics world will be following closely.
