In a candid evaluation of the present status of sprinting, Letsile Tebogo admitted that the current generation of competitors has yet to eclipse Usain Bolt’s legacy. The Jamaican legend retired from track and field long ago but left an impact that continues to resonate in the sport, as the Botswanan athlete emphasized.
Despite falling under the same category, Tebogo recognized the community’s perspective on modern-day athletes’ comparisons to Bolt. During a pre-race conference of the Brussels Diamond League Final, he acknowledged that everyone had a different point of view on this particular topic.
Tebogo added that the sport is entering a new age with all the up-and-coming athletes. However, he added a significant fact, saying:
“I believe that, that era we have passed, but we didn’t surpass his goals that he did in the track and field sport.“
Although Bolt‘s era ended a long time ago, Tebogo recognized the Jamaican legend’s enormous impact. Like the Botswanan athlete, the double world record holder in the 100 and 200 meters entered the sport as an aspirant with many objectives.
The only difference between him and the present generation of athletes was that the Jamaican accomplished his goals in track and field with the highest honor obtainable in the events.
The Botswanan athlete went on to say that the 2024 season was one of his strongest track seasons to date. Despite winning the 200-meter Olympic gold medal, the 21-year-old remains determined to finish the season on a high note with his first Diamond League Final championship trophy.
A remarkable track and field season
Tebogo rose to prominence last year and met the community’s expectations. He began the 2024 season with a beautiful world record in the 300 meters, clocking 30.69 seconds at the Simbine Curro Classic Shoot-Out in Pretoria. A month later, the Botswanan took the world lead in both the 400 and 200 meters, with times of 44.29 and 19.94 seconds, respectively.
These accolades elicited an unexpected reaction from fans, who saw a rising youngster set to challenge top athletes in the sport. He eventually prepared for the Paris Games and ultimately won an Olympic gold medal in the 200 meters and led his team to a silver medal in the men’s 4×400-meter relay.
