Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo is expected to make his debut in Xiamen but has his work cut out considering the stack field he will face. Will Botswana’s finest prevail?
Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo will make his Xiamen Diamond League debut in the 100m on April 26. The versatile sprinter stunned the athletics world in 2024 with 200m victories in Monaco, Lausanne, Silesia, and Zurich, along with a 100m win in Rome, solidifying his status as one of the sport’s most dynamic and adaptable sprinters.
Xiamen offers Tebogo a fresh stage to prove his mettle in the 100m, showcasing his explosive talent and cementing his reputation as one of the most electrifying figures in global athletics.
Pulse Sports takes a look at the top contenders Tebogo will face in Xiemen, his record against major rivals and a tactical analysis of Tebogo’s strength, weaknesses and chances of victory.
Letsile Tebogo, Africa’s first Olympic sprint champion, has emerged as a global sensation with his record-breaking performances but other than his track exploits, what else do you know about him?
1.Top contenders for Xiamen
Letsile Tebogo is likely to face a stacked field in Xiamen but it will be exciting to see how he fares against the best in the specialty. Tebogo, the 2021 World under-21 100m champion, will come up against the likes of Christian Coleman, Akani Simbine, Fred Kerley and Ackeem Blake.
Coleman is the 2019 world champion in the 100m and was the Diamond League champion in 2018 and 2023 and the world number one ranked runner in the men’s 100m for the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons. Coleman was second in last year’s edition with a time of 10.04 seconds.
)
Letsile Tebogo appreciates how Kishane Thompson destroyed a quality field in first race of the season.
Akani Simbine will look to defend his title in Xiamen after clocking 10.01 last year. Simbine must be worried about the new kid on the block, Tebogo, and the pair will surely rekindle their African rivalry in China.
American Fred Kerley, is an Olympic silver medalist over 100m at the 2020 Olympics and bronze medalist at the 2024 Olympics in the same event. Kerley finished third in Xiamen last year after cutting the tape in 10.11 seconds and will hope to go for the title in April.
Ackeem Blake is a fast-rising Jamaican sprint sensation whose burgeoning reputation has attracted global attention. A lot is expected for him as the Usain Bolt-likened athlete curves a niche and tries to return Jamaica to the top of the world.
2. Head-to-head record
Letsile Teboge boasts a personal best time of 9.86 seconds he set at the Paris Olympics. He is the first man from Botswana to break the 10-second barrier at the national championships as he clocked a time of 9.96 seconds at the Gaborone International Meet, setting a new world under-20 record.
)
Olympic champion Vernon Norwood has urged British Olympian Hudson-Smith to follow up on his promise for a showdown against the world’s top sprinters.
Coleman holds personal bests of 9.76 seconds for the 100m, which made him the 6th fastest all-time in the history of 100m in the World Championships. Simbine holds a personal best of 9.82 he set at the Paris Olympics. Kerley on the other hand, holds a PB of 9.76 he set at 2022, Eugene. Blake’s PB stands at 9.89 seconds and the stack field will really be exciting.
3. Tactical analysis
Tebogo is known for his speed and mental strength. Tebogo believes mental strength is important and that he needs to come into a race with a clear mind. He says that he listens to traditional songs from Botswana before a race. Tebogo has faced challenges, but has persevered to become a global sprinting sensation. Tebogo has received support from his family and coach. He has also been helped by grassroots efforts and the Gaborone Meet, which brought him into the national spotlight.
Tebogo in a previous interview said: “With the 100m, I just want to sit back and watch but at times, I just find myself around the line-up and I am like I have to do this one way or another because there is no time to run back. So, I make sure when I am on the line, I give it my best.”
Tebogo will have to be smart if he is to upset his rivals and win the 100m race in Xiamen on his debut.
