Noah Lyles continues to garner praise from his peers in the track and field community. Following Rai Benjamin’s recent endorsement, Botswana’s rising star Letsile Tebogo has now joined the chorus of athletes recognizing Lyles’ significant impact on the sport.
Tebogo recently highlighted Benjamin’s statements during the Rome Diamond League pre-race press conference, which was featured on the Wanda Diamond League X account.
“Noah has changed the sport. I haven’t done that yet.”
Letsile Tebogo says @LylesNoah is still the face of athletics. #RomeDL#DiamondLeague pic.twitter.com/SXSSAvU4FU
— Wanda Diamond League (@Diamond_League) August 29, 2024
The Botswanan had noticed the six-time world champion’s impact on the sport and knew Benjamin’s statement’s origins, which stemmed from an interview with Linda Cohn of SportsCenter, before the athlete’s X posts about Lyles.
The 200-meter Olympic champion then shared his thoughts on this, saying:
“I’m not the face of athletics. I saw Rai’s interview; he said that Noah changed the sport, which I believe he did. I haven’t changed anything. I just came in and won the gold medal. That’s all that I did. But he’s been there and consistent throughout the years.“
Tebogo denied with a straight face being the face of athletics. According to him, Lyles has consistently excelled throughout his professional track and field career.
Tebogo also addressed the public’s impression of him and acknowledged the sentiments of fans who saw him as Africa’s track hero after winning the continent’s first gold medal in the 200-meter Olympic finals.
Tebogo also clarified that Lyles is one of those athletes capable of defeating him. He was familiar with his earlier accomplishments and was well aware of his potential.
Even though Tebogo is the 200-meter Olympic champion, he knows that the American athlete will give him a run for his money in the future when he can compete in the 200-meter in good health.
The Botswanan sprinter will compete in the Rome Diamond League on August 30, where he will have a challenging competition in the 100-meter grid.
