Botswana's Tebogo wins Africa's first gold medal in Olympics 200m

It was a night of first Olympic gold of all time for Botswana and Africa in the 200m and the man behind the glory is Botswana's Letsile Tebogo who is now the new 200m champion.

The 21-year-old Letsile Tebogo upseted the USA's Noah Lyles' plan for an Olympic sprint double by storming to victory in the 200m in Paris on Thursday.

Tebogo clocked an African record of 19.45sec for gold with American Kenny Bednarek taking silver in 19.62sec and Lyles bronze in 19.70sec

And as custom demanded, Tebogo got his hands on the bell and gave it a loud ring as the fastest man over 200m. 

It was a good run as he went ahead comfortably heading towards the line.

Noah Lyles, who was crowned the world's fastest man by five-thousandths of a second in a historic 100m final four days earlier, was unable to compete at the head of the race and matched his Tokyo bronze in 19.70.

Having burst out on to the track to huge cheers before the race, Lyles was seeking to become the first man since Usain Bolt to complete a 100m and 200m double at an Olympic Games.

But after the race when Tebogo convincingly beat him, reports started emerging that Lyles had tested positive for Covid.

Having burst out on to the track to huge cheers before the race, Lyles was seeking to become the first man since Usain Bolt to complete a 100m and 200m double at an Olympic Games.

But Tebogo had other ideas.

A world bronze medallist over the distance last year, Tebogo also took 100m silver in Budapest as Lyles completed a golden treble.

That was a dazzling return for Tebogo at his first global championship, but it was nothing compared to his achievement at the Stade de France as he marked his first Olympics with a gold.

Tebogo, sixth in the Paris 100m final, lined up with a 200m personal best of 19.50 – notably down on the favourite's 19.31.

Showman Lyles made his entrance to huge excitement, seemingly ready to seize his moment with the eyes of the world fixed upon him, but he remained third throughout following a slow start.

Bednarek held out to equal his silver of three years ago in Tokyo - a medal he also won at the 2022 World Championships - but could not overhaul Tebogo.