Noah Lyles, Justin Gatlin and Letsile Tebogo (Image: All three via Getty)

Justin Gatlin outlines "stark contrast" between Noah Lyles and Letsile Tebogo

Modified Sep 07, 2024 19:12 GMT

Four-time World Championships gold medalist Justin Gatlin recently shared the contrasting personalities between Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles. This comes nearly a month after a successful 2024 Paris Olympics for both.

Speaking on a recent podcast, Gatlin stated that Lyles and Tebogo both have a very different style of carrying themselves on the track. The 42-year-old said that while Lyles is a very energetic character, Tebogo is very different when compared to the Florida native.

During the interview, Justin Gatlin also shed light on the personality that a track and field athlete should carry while stepping onto the track and also mentioned that track and field athletes should relate themselves to going to war when they step up to compete.

He said (via Ready Set Go podcast at 42:58):

"You want to feel like you about to go in the battle. You want to feel like you about to like, hey, they're coming for my money. They're coming for my head."

He further said:

"You know what I mean? So the stark contrast between Noah, when he steps out on the line with the explosive energy all over, right? And then when you hear Tebogo's name called and he walks out. He'll just be standing like, Tebogo's standing like he's waiting for the bus or something, but then he get out there and roll your a**."

Lyles and Tebogo had some hard-fought contests at the recently concluded Paris Olympics 2024 as the US sprinter defeated Tebogo over the 100m distance. However, the Botswana sprinter defeated Lyles in the 200m to clinch the gold medal.

Justin Gatlin heaps praises on the Botswana 4x400m relay team that competed at the Paris Olympics 2024

Justin Gatlin at an ASS Le Soir Interview (Image via Getty Images)

Justin Gatlin recently shared some high praise for the Botswana men's 4x400m relay team that finished with a silver medal at the Paris quadrennial event. The Botswana side not only secured second place but also registered the African record run time at the event.

Impressed by this performance, Justin Gatlin remarked that this group of Botswana athletes will also break numerous other records in the future.

He said (via Ready Set Go podcast at 00:58):

"These guys are gonna grow up together and go through professional track together. They are gonna keep breaking their records over and over again."

The quartet of Letsile Tebogo, Anthony Pesela, Bayapo Ndori, and Collen Kebinatshipi Busang registered a run time of 2:54.53 to secure the second position behind the United States in the men's 4x400m at the Paris Olympics.