Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, the new Olympic 200m champion, has sparked some controversy by calling American sprinter Noah Lyles “arrogant” and “loud” after defeating him to claim the gold medal in a surprise win at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Tebogo made these remarks during a press conference after the race when he was asked whether he aimed to become the new face of track and field. He suggested that his more relaxed personality would prevent him from reaching the same level of fame as Lyles. According to Tebogo, he doesn’t have the same kind of bold and outspoken nature that Lyles has.
“For me, I can’t be the face of athletics because I’m not an arrogant or loud person like Noah,” Tebogo said. “So I believe Noah’s the face of athletics,” he added.
This comment brought a smile from Kenny Bednarek of the USA, who was sitting next to Tebogo after winning the silver medal, finishing ahead of Lyles.
Before the race, Lyles had confidently predicted that he would take the gold and complete a double win in both the 100m and 200m events. He even boldly stated that “when I come off the turn, they will be depressed” and that he would be winning the race.
As he entered the track, Lyles was seen hyping up the crowd, jumping around, and shouting, much like he did before the 100m final. However, despite his confidence, the American could only secure a bronze medal in what turned out to be an exciting race. Tebogo claimed gold with a time of 19.46 seconds, while Lyles’ teammate, Bednarek, finished with 19.62 seconds, and Lyles himself clocked in at 19.70 seconds.
After the race, Lyles was spotted being wheeled away in a wheelchair. It was later revealed by US Track and Field that Lyles had tested positive for COVID-19 just two days before the race. Lyles shared that he woke up early on Tuesday morning feeling “really horrible” and suspected it was more than just soreness from his previous race.
“I knew it was more than being sore from the 100,” Lyles told NBC. “My first thought was not to panic. I’ve been in worse situations and worse conditions.”
Lyles explained that he tried to stay hydrated and take it day by day, though he admitted the illness had taken a toll on him. Despite everything, he expressed pride in securing the bronze medal.
In an Instagram post following the race, Lyles hinted that he would likely not participate in the 4x100m relay, saying, “I believe this will be the end of my 2024 Olympics.”
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Lyles reflected on his Olympic journey, stating, “It is not the Olympics I dreamed of, but it has left me with so much joy in my heart. I hope everyone enjoyed the show.”
