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Letsile Tebogo has become the first man to clock under 20 seconds in the 200m sprints in 2024 after he ran 19.94s at the ASA Grand Prix III.
The 20-year-old made headlines a week ago after he registered a new personal best time of 44.29s in the 400m race at the ASA Grand Prix. He had a previous best time of 44.75s and is pitted to break the 400m world record time of South Africa’s Wayde van Niekerk (43.03 seconds).
On February 17, Tebogo broke Van Niekerk's 300m world record at the Simbine Curro Classic Shoot-Out in Pretoria. He clocked 30.69s to break the South African's mark of 30.81s set in 2017.
The 20-year-old has now become the first man to clock a sub-20s time in 2024. He ran 19.94s to claim the ASA Grand Prix 200m title on March 27, 2024.
Tebogo finished ahead of Akani Simbine of South Africa, who clocked 20.32s for the second position while Eckhart Potgieter finished 3rd with 20.61s. Tebogo has a personal best of 19.50s in the 200m sprints and is one of the biggest competitors of American sprinter Noah Lyles at the Paris Olympics 2024.
Letsile Tebogo has previously received praise from several legendary sprinters including the American legend Michael Johnson. The 4-time Olympic champion wrote on X (formerly Twitter):
"There’s always talk of who’s the next great one in track. The hype and promise usually fizzles. But Letsile Tebogo is one of the rare ones I might bet on!"
Johnson had also opined earlier this year that Tebogo should focus on the 100m and 200m disciplines for the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Michael Johnson's advice for Letsile Tebogo
Letsile Tebogo rose to international fame in the 2023 World Athletics championships in Budapest after he clocked 9.88s in the 100m. He secured the silver medal behind Noah Lyles who clocked 9.83s for the gold.
Teboga won the bronze medal in 200m at the same event. The 20-year-old broke the 300m world record in 2024 as well.
Michael Johnson, the Olympic legend, is seemingly closely following Tebogo's exploits and offered advice to the sprinter for the upcoming Paris Olympics on X (formerly Twitter):
"100/200 or 200/400 double? Already a 100/200 world champs medalist, may be foolish to switch in an Olympic year. Men’s 400 a bit weak recently but his training must change to run even low 44 in a final after rounds. At only 20, plenty of time to move to 400. 100/200 for Paris"
With the Paris Olympics 2024 only months away, the Botswana sprinter is in line for a memorable campaign, to say the least.
