Tebogo Upsets Lyles in Controversial Win

In a stunning upset at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Letsile Tebogo of Botswana clinched the gold medal in the 200m, defeating American sprinter Noah Lyles, who finished with a bronze. During a post-race press conference, Tebogo described Lyles as “arrogant” and “loud,” suggesting that such traits make Lyles the face of athletics, a title Tebogo feels he cannot claim due to his more reserved demeanor. Prior to the race, Lyles had confidently predicted his victory, expressing his intent to complete a double win in both the 100m and 200m events. His pre-race antics included jumping and shouting to engage the crowd, reminiscent of his behavior before the 100m final. However, the race did not go as planned for Lyles, who finished with a time of 19.70 seconds, behind Tebogo’s impressive 19.46 seconds and teammate Erriyon Knighton’s 19.62 seconds. Following the race, Lyles was seen in a wheelchair, and it was later revealed that he had been diagnosed with Covid-19 just two days before competing. Despite his health challenges, Lyles expressed pride in securing a bronze medal, acknowledging the toll the illness took on his performance. In a reflective Instagram post, he indicated that he would not participate in the 4x100m relay, marking the end of his Olympic journey with mixed emotions about the experience.