Vernon Norwood recently appeared on Citius Mag’s YouTube channel podcast with Chris Chavez, where he shared his experience at the Paris Olympics. He particularly focused on the moments before the men’s 4×400-meter relay finals when he noticed Letsile Tebogo attempting to play mind games with him.
Before races, sprinters are given time in the call room to prepare mentally. However, with competitors in the same space, some athletes try to psychologically unsettle their opponents.
While in the call room with his team, Norwood recalled seeing Tebogo positioned as the relay’s second-split runner, which prompted him to reconsider his strategy.
Norwood had initially planned to run the second split, so he was surprised to see the 200-meter Olympic champion seemingly taking that position for Team Botswana instead of the anchor leg.
The American runner acknowledged Great Britain’s Matthew Hudson-Smith as his primary competition but also factored in Tebogo, whom he assumed would be running in the same split.
Norwood revealed that he remained focused on studying the Botswanan runner until the last moment, uncertain of his position. When Tebogo eventually moved from the second to the final leg, Norwood recognized the ploy, stating:
“We get into the other call room; he’s still sitting second. So, I’m like, just looking around, ‘Okay, this is how we doing.’ So, I tap Rai, and then we see him switch to his actual leg. So, he was like, ‘Oh! He running anchor.’…Trying to play these games.”
Norwood informed his teammate Rai Benjamin because Benjamin was set to run the anchor leg for Team USA. As Tebogo returned to his anchor position for Botswana, Norwood realized the psychological tactic being employed.
On the CITIUS MAG Podcast – a fun story shared about a little bit of mind games being played by @tebogo_letsile_ in the call room moments before the Olympic 4x400m final but didn’t get past @Vernon400m and @_Kingben_
SPOTIFY: https://t.co/yvt1437XXK
APPLE PODCASTS:… pic.twitter.com/ThZSy0JqT5
— Chris Chavez (@ChrisChavez) August 23, 2024
Chavez also remarked that Tebogo is a “troll” who can pull incredible mental stints in the last moments of significant races. The 32-year-old acknowledged Chavez’s observation, which was also why he kept an eye on the Botswanan.
He also praised Team Botswana and Great Britain for providing a good challenge at the Paris Olympics. The men’s 4×400-meter relays saw Team USA win gold in an Olympic record time of 2:54.43, owing to Rai Benjamin’s amazing anchor leg defense from Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, whose team finished second in 2:54.53.
The mere 0.10-second difference in the relay event showcased the exceptional level of competition at this year’s Olympic Games, providing an exhilarating experience for track enthusiasts.
