"I don't want that pressure"- Letsile Tebogo wants to be out of the 200m world record conversation

By Zahid Rashid Dar

Modified May 06, 2024 17:57 GMT

Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo has asked fans to keep him out of the ‘world record conversation’. The world medalist claimed that he didn't want to take the extra pressure of breaking Usain Bolt's time of 19.31s in the 200m. Tebogo is, however, rapidly becoming a global sprinting sensation.

Tebogo rose to the spotlight after breaking the 300m world record at the ASA Grand Prix in 30.69s. He then clocked a new personal best of 44.75s in the 400m. Tebogo opened his season in the 200m at the ASA Grand Prix on March 27 and clocked a world-leading time of 19.94s to win the event.

Speaking with Forbes Betting in an interview later, the world silver medalist claimed he wanted to believe that he could break Usain Bolt's 200m world record,

"We have a better chance in the 200, I want to believe. Usain Bolt himself said in an interview that the 200-meter record might be the easier of the two, and I concur.”

However, the 20-year-old Botswana sprinter doesn't want to be in the world record conversation for now. After leading his nation to the gold medal at the World Athletic Relays 2024 in the 4x400m relay, he spoke in an interview with Citius Magazine and expressed that he didn't want to take the extra pressure of breaking Usain Bolt's 200m world record,

"Take me out of that world record conversation because I don’t want that pressure to put myself in. Let (Noah) Lyles speak about the world record and everyone else who wants to speak about it.”

Letsile Tebogo ran 43.49s in the Olympic qualification round on Day 1 of World Athletic Relays 2024. In the finals, he clocked 43.72s for Botswana's gold medal finish in 2:59.11.

Track legend Michael Johnson places his bet on Letsile Tebogo to become the ‘next great’ of track and field

Day 5 - World Athletics Championships Budapest 2023

Former Olympic champion Michael Johnson has claimed that Letsile Tebogo could become the ‘next great’ of track and field and fill the gap left by Jamaica’s Usain Bolt. His claim comes after Tebogo’s sensational performances across 2024 including a record-breaking sprint in 300m.

"There’s always talk of who’s the next great one in track. The hype and promise usually fizzles. But Letsile Tebogo is one of the rare ones I might bet on!", he wrote on X .

Later, Johnson also advised Letsile Tebogo to focus on 100m and 200m at the Paris Olympics instead of 300m and 400m events. The four-time Olympic gold medalist reasoned that Tebogo had plenty of time to switch to the other two events.