Letsile Tebogo qualifies for 200m semi-finals in Tokyo championships

Botswana's Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo secured his spot in the men's 200-meter semi-finals at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo on Wednesday, clocking 20.18 seconds to finish second in his heat behind reigning world champion Noah Lyles. Despite the smooth advancement, the sprint sensation was highly self-critical, promising a significantly improved performance in the next round.

Running in the unfamiliar territory of lane nine, Tebogo acknowledged technical flaws in his race, particularly around the curve.

In a mixed zone interview, the 22-year-old was candid about his performance, stating, “I would say I’m happy but I’ve run a terrible race.”

His light-hearted trot and joking after crossing the finish line were not a celebration but a tactical move.

Tebogo explained it was an attempt to reinvigorate himself after two days without competition following the disappointment of a false start in the 100-meter final, which he said let his body "set down from the championships."

A promise for the semifinals

With the semi-finals on Thursday and the final on Friday, Tebogo issued a stern warning to his competitors.

He pinpointed the curve as his key area for improvement and vowed a much stronger showing. “First of all, It will be a great curve from me,” he asserted. “And it’s going to be a lot different from me.”

This promise signals that the athlete, who won gold in the event at the Paris 2024 Olympics, feels he has another gear and is poised to challenge for a spot on the podium.