Tag: Paris Olympics

Letsile Tebogo : “Africans can be Sprinters, too!”

On By Dr. Y.In Great People, Great Moments1 Comment
Letsile Tebogo after winning gold in 200m (Source: Onuaonline)

Since Frankie Fredericks of Namibia, who used to always win silver at the Olympics in the 1990s, no African has gotten close to the gold medal in the 100-200 m distances until Letsile Tebogo of Botswana who won the first African gold in the Men’s 200 m discipline ever, at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He also helped Botswana and an African country land silver in 4 x 400 m Men’s relay. By winning the gold medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Tebogo became the first Olympic gold medal winner from Botswana and the first runner from Africa to win the 200m final at the Olympic Games. He set a new African record by shaving off 0.04 seconds off his previous best to clock 19.46 s. “Africans can be sprinters, too,” he said in an interview to NBC Sports.

Letsile Tebogo (Source: SportNewsAfrica)

Tebogo started with a strong love for football (soccer). At the age of six, Tebogo was already a well-rounded footballer and sprinter. His teachers encouraged him to practice both sports, but injuries hampered his football career so he opted to focus solely on track. As he explained in an interview with Runblogrun.com., “I used to run past people and won medals. I also played football. Every time though I went to play football I was being benched.” “[This] made me frustrated…and prompted my decision to go back to athletics as I saw [that] I am able to put food on the table for my family from that,” added the runner whose single mother Seratiwa Tebogo struggled to raise him and his younger sibling. His mother, who was his pillar, passed away this past May and did not get to see her son achieve this great accomplishment, but there is no doubt that she would be very proud of her son. Tebogo dedicated his 200m gold medal win to her, and held up his shoe to the camera after the race, which featured his mother’s birthdate on it. He also painted her initials on his nails. … ” I’ve had such a huge blow that affected me deeply so I’m still trying to get the confidence back into the body. It’s not about injuries, it is all about my mum.” Reflecting on his Paris Olympic victory, Tebogo shared, “It was a truly memorable race. Heading into the final, my coach told me his job was done and the rest was up to me—to finish the race healthy, medal or not. I’m glad I could finish stronger than before, carrying the memory of my mother with every stride. She’s watching from above, and I know she’s proud. I chose not to mark the date of her death on my shoe because it’s too emotional.”

Flag of Botswana

He “didn’t take sprints seriously until 2019” when he raced his first major 100m in 10.68s and clocked 21.12s in the 200m. “For a while, I didn’t pay more attention to athletics until about 2018-2019 when I realized I could go professional with it,” Tebogo said. “The motivation to get into athletics was from watching the big guys like Isaac Makwala, Karabo Sibanda and Nijel Amos,” explained Tebogo. “However, I just really wanted some change in the country, so I had to do something different from the big guys, that’s why I opted to compete in the 100m and 200m.”

Like so many track and field athletes in the sprint distances, he looks up to Usain Bolt, the fastest man in the world and 8-times Olympic champion, and dreams of running faster and faster. “It’s time for Africa to take charge over the sprints and every event,” he said in the interview with Runblogrun.com.

Since his Olympic triumphant victory in Paris, he has been taking charge by winning 2 other games so far. Keep an eye out for Tebogo tonight at the Diamond League event in Rome, Italy.

Tamirat Tola or Making the Best of a Second Chance

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Tamirat Tola wins Men’s Marathon at Paris 2024 Olympics (Source: afrik.com)

There were many awesome stories at Paris 2024 Olympics. Many athletes surpassed themselves, broke new records, and set new firsts. The Olympics are over, but over the next few weeks, we will highlight those whose story may inspire us to get even better at what we do in our day-to-day lives. One athlete whose story particularly touched us was Ethiopian Tamirat Tola. Why?

Abebe Bikila on the podium in 1960 Olympics in Rome
Abebe Bikila on the podium during the 1960 Olympics in Rome, after winning the gold medal in the marathon, and surrounded by Rhadi Ben Abdesselam of Morocco (silver) and Barry Magee of New Zealand (Bronze)

Tamirat Tola is not a stranger to the Olympics: he was a bronze medalist in the Men’s 10,000 m at the Rio 2016 Olympics. He has had many victories since then, more recently winning the 2023 New York City Marathon, and coming 3rd at the 2023 London Marathon. However, his performances this year were not enough for him to make it into the Ethiopian team selected for this year’s Olympics/Marathon. Ethiopia is a powerhouse for long distance runners, producing some of the best runners in the world: there is no secret that since Abebe Bikila: Emperor of the Distance and Running Barefoot, the world of long distance has been partially dominated by Ethiopia (and Kenya). So in a powerhouse team, Tola’s performance this year was not enough to make the cut. This makes it so that some of the best athletes may not make the cut for the team even though they are very good, and would be outstanding for other countries.

Tamirat Tola crosses the finish line at the Paris 2024 Olympics winning the gold medal and setting a new Olympic Record (Source: EthiopiansToday.com)

Two weeks prior to the Men’s Marathon at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tola was added to the team as a substitute for teammate Sisay Lemma, winner of this year’s Boston Marathon, who had been injured. Teams are selected weeks ahead of the Olympics, and Tola was just selected 2 weeks prior. He made the best of this second chance and won the gold medal at the Olympics in a very hilly route billed extremely difficult with inclines as steep as 13%. Tola also set up an Olympic Record in 2 hours 6 minutes 26 seconds. His win also marks Ethiopia’s first gold medal in the event since Sydney 2000. He said, “I was the reserve in the Ethiopian team, but when Sisay had injuries then I had a chance, … I was fully prepared and knew I could fulfil my dream. I am very proud, very happy.” Indeed, it was an opportunity given to him by his teammate, and Tola acknowledged his teammate in his victory. “Sisay told me that it was better for him to drop out and for me to compete. He said, ‘You can do better than me in my condition.’ … It is thanks to him. This victory also belongs to him for giving me this opportunity. … I am happy today because I fulfilled my goal, … I prepared well. I trained hard so I could win. In my life, this is my great achievement.”

Tola’s victory inspired us to remember to always be ready, one never knows when a second chance will come, be ready, stay ready, and make the best of it.

Africans at the Paris 2024 Olympics so far …

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Hugues Fabrice Zango getting his triple jump (Source: bbc.co.uk)

The controversial opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games has not dimmed the spirits of African athletes, they know that they are there to work and make their continent proud.

Before the beginning of the games, there were a few African athletes to watch out for:

Our golden athlete Hugues Fabrice Zango, the first gold medal of Burkina Faso, and representing us all on the triple jump. As a fun fact, Zango also recently defended his PhD thesis in Electrical Engineering, and looks to make the colors of his country shine again this year.

Faith Kipyegon (Source: StarConnectMedia)

Our loved one, Kenyan Faith Kipyegon… we all have faith in her to make us proud again. With 2 world titles won and 4 world records, Faith is hoping to win her 3rd successive Olympic gold in the women’s 1500m; if she manages to accomplish this, she will be the first African to even win gold in the same event 3 times in a row. On Monday, she already won silver in a very contested Women’s 5000 m at the Olympics, where she was first disqualified for track obstruction, and then reinstated as the silver medal winner after appeal by the Kenyan federation. Her compatriot Beatrice Chebet won the first Kenyan gold medal of these olympics.

The revelation is this year’s Eritrean athlete Biniam Girmay who has won stage events at the Tour de France, becoming the first African to ever do so, and also topping the points classification. We will be on the look out for him in cycling.

Letsile Tebogo (Source: SportNewsAfrica)

We had our eyes on Letsile Tebogo of Botswana who took silver in the 100m and bronze over 200m  at the world championships; however, the 100m did not go well for Tebogo, but we are all throwing our support behind him for the 200m. Our young brother lost his mother, Seratiwa Tebogo, his pillar and rock back in May, and we are sending him lots of love and support.

Blessing Oborududu of Nigeria is a wrestling baobab in Nigeria and Africa, with 14 continental titles, 4 commonwealth medals, and a silver medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. However, today, Oborududu lost on advancing to gold or silver, but will be competing for the Bronze medal tomorrow.

Flag of Uganda

Before the Olympics, our Ugandan brother Joshua Cheptegei told us that this will be his last Olympics, and promised us magic. Cheptegei did not disappoint, he ran his heart out serving us a performance worthy of a novel, he came from behind to win gold in the men’s 10,000m, and land Uganda its first gold at the games so far. Compatriot Peruth Chemutai won silver in the Women’s 3000m steeplechase, while Kenyan Faith Cherotich won the Bronze medal.

In swimming, Tatjana Smith of South Africa made her country proud by winning gold and silver medals in 200m and 100m breaststroke events. South Africa also landed 2 bronze medals in rugby and mountain bike with Alan Hatherly. Flag bearer Akani Simbine ended 4th in a highly contested 100m track and field men’s final.

I will write an article at the end of the Paris 2024 Olympics games to tally all our victories.