Letsile Tebogo facts for kids

Tebogo at the 2023 World Athletics Championships
Quick facts for kids Personal information
Nickname(s)	School-boy
Nationality	Botswana
Born	(2003-06-07) 7 June 2003 (age 22) Kanye, Botswana
Height	1.84 m
Weight	77 kg
Sport
Country	Botswana
Sport	Athletics
Event(s)	Sprints
Team	Nike
Achievements and titles
Personal best(s)	100 m: 9.86 NR (Paris 2024) 200 m: 19.46 AR NR (Paris 2024) 300 m: 30.69 WB (Pretoria 2024) 400 m: 44.29 (Pretoria 2024)
Medal record Men's athletics Representing  Botswana Olympic Games Gold 2024 Paris 200 m Silver 2024 Paris 4×400 m relay World Championships Silver 2023 Budapest 100 m Bronze 2023 Budapest 200 m World Relays Gold 2024 Nassau 4×400 m relay African Championships Gold 2022 Saint Pierre 200 m World U20 Championships Gold 2021 Nairobi 100 m Gold 2022 Cali 100 m Silver 2021 Nairobi 200 m Silver 2022 Cali 200 m

Letsile Tebogo is a famous sprinter from Botswana. He was born on June 7, 2003. He made history by winning the gold medal at the 2024 Summer Olympics in the 200-meter race. This was the first-ever Olympic gold medal for his country!

Letsile also won a silver medal at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in the 100-meter race. A few days later, he earned a bronze medal in the 200-meter race at the same event. He is known for being very fast and for breaking many records.

He won gold in the 100 meters and silver in the 200 meters at both the 2021 and 2022 World Under-20 Championships. In 2021, he was the first athlete from Botswana to win a 100m title at any World Championships. He also became the youngest winner of the 200m title at the 2022 African Championships. Letsile even broke the world best record for the 300-meter race in 2024. He has held the world U20 record for the 100m since April 2022. He was also the first man from Botswana to run the 100m in under 10 seconds.

Letsile Tebogo's Career Highlights

Letsile Tebogo started his international career when he was just 17 years old. His first big event was the 2021 World Athletics Relays in Poland. Later that year, he competed at the World Under-20 Championships in Kenya. There, he won the 100-meter race and came in second in the 200-meter race.

Breaking Records as a Young Sprinter

In February 2022, when he was 18, Letsile set a new national record for Botswana in the 100m. He ran it in 10.08 seconds. Just two months later, he became the first person from Botswana to run the 100m in under 10 seconds. He finished in 9.96 seconds, setting a new world record for athletes under 20 years old.

Letsile kept getting faster! In July, he improved his record at the 2022 World Athletics Championships in the United States, running 9.94 seconds. The next month, he broke his own record again at the 2022 World Athletics U20 Championships in Colombia. He ran the 100m in an amazing 9.91 seconds. During that race, he celebrated early, which reminded many people of the famous sprinter Usain Bolt.

Olympic Gold and National Celebrations

On August 8, 2024, Letsile Tebogo won the 200m final at the Paris Olympics. This was a huge moment for Botswana, as it was their very first Olympic gold medal. He finished the race in 19.46 seconds.

His victory was so important that the government of Botswana declared a holiday to celebrate! They also gave him two houses to honor his amazing achievement.

Awards and Recognition

In September 2024, Letsile became the first male winner of the new Jesse Owens Rising Star Award. This award is given to young, talented athletes. He received it at the Wanda Diamond League Final in Brussels.

In October 2024, Letsile was honored again. He received the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) award for the best male athlete at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

To top off an incredible year, Letsile Tebogo was named the World Athletics Male Athlete of the Year in December 2024. He was also named the Male Track Athlete of the Year.

Letsile Tebogo's Best Times

Letsile has set many personal bests (his fastest times) in different races.

Letsile Tebogo's Major Competition Results

Here are some of Letsile Tebogo's top results from big international competitions:

Representing  Botswana

Year	Competition	Venue	Position	Event	Time	Notes
2021	World Relays	Chorzów, Poland	13th (h)	4 × 100 m relay	39.55	SB
	World U20 Championships	Nairobi, Kenya	1st	100 m	10.19
			2nd	200 m	20.38
2022	African Championships	Saint Pierre, Mauritius	1st	200 m	20.26
			– (f)	4 × 100 m relay	DQ
	World Championships	Eugene, OR, United States	16th (sf)	100 m	10.17	(h: WU20R NR )
	World U20 Championships	Cali, Colombia	1st	100 m	9.91	CR WU20R NR
			2nd	200 m	19.96	CR
2023	World Championships	Budapest, Hungary	2nd	100 m	9.88	NR
			3rd	200 m	19.81
2024	World Relays	Nassau, Bahamas	1st	4 × 400 m relay	2:59.11
	Olympic Games	Paris, France	6th	100 m	9.86	NR
			1st	200 m	19.46	AR
			2nd	4 × 400 m relay	2:54.53	AR

Circuit Wins and Titles

Letsile Tebogo has also won many races in the Diamond League and World Athletics Continental Tour series:

• Diamond League
  • 2023: Lausanne Athletissima (200 m)
  • 2024: Monaco Herculis (200 m), Lausanne Athletissima (200 m), Kamila Skolimowska Memorial (200 m), Rome Golden Gala (100 m), Zürich Weltklasse (200 m)
• World Athletics Continental Tour
  • 2023: Botswana Golden Grand Prix (200 m)
  • 2024: Grand Prix Lombardia Brescia (200 m)

See also

In Spanish: Letsile Tebogo para niños

• List of Botswana records in athletics