Botswana's Letsile Tebogo wins Olympic 200m old as he denies Noah Lyles a sprint double

Botswana's Letsile Tebogo claimed a stunning victory in the Olympic 200m final at Paris 2024, taking gold in a time of 19.46 seconds and setting a new African record.

Tebogo's triumph came as a major surprise, with American Noah Lyles, who had been aiming for a sprint double, finishing third.

Tebogo, 21, surged past his competitors to secure the top spot, finishing ahead of American Kenneth Bednarek, who clocked 19.62 seconds.

Lyles, who had been crowned the world's fastest man with a narrow victory in the 100m final just days earlier, struggled in the 200m final.

He crossed the line in 19.70 seconds, matching his Tokyo 2020 bronze performance.

The race took an unexpected turn as it was revealed that Lyles had tested positive for Covid-19.

The 27-year-old was assisted off the track in a wheelchair following his race, marking a disappointing end to his campaign.

Lyles had aimed to become the first man since Usain Bolt in 2016 to achieve the 100m and 200m double at the Olympics.

Tebogo's victory was particularly remarkable given his previous performances. He had won bronze in the 200m at last year's World Championships and silver in the 100m at the World Championships in Budapest.

Despite a personal best of 19.50 seconds in the 200m, Tebogo outperformed expectations and clinched Botswana's first-ever Olympic gold medal.

In the 200m final, Lyles made an electrifying entrance but struggled with a slow start and remained in third place throughout the race.

Bednarek, who won silver in Tokyo and at the 2022 World Championships, was unable to surpass Tebogo despite a strong effort.

Tebogo's victory at the Stade de France marks a historic moment for Botswana and cements his status as one of the sport's rising stars.