Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo claimed a shock Olympic 200m gold medal as Noah Lyles was denied a dash double at Paris 2024.
Tebogo, 21, stormed away from his rivals to clock an African report of 19.46 seconds and end forward of American Kenneth Bednarek, who crossed the road in 19.62.
Lyles, topped the world’s quickest man by five-thousandths of a second in a traditionally fast 100m ultimate on Sunday night time, was unable to compete on the head of the race and matched his Tokyo bronze in 19.70.
It emerged after the race that Lyles had examined constructive for Covid and the 27-year-old needed to be helped off the observe in a wheelchair.
Having burst out on to the observe to large cheers earlier than the race, Lyles was searching for to develop into the primary man since Usain Bolt in 2016 to finish a 100m and 200m double at an Olympic Video games.
However Tebogo had different concepts.
A world bronze medallist over the gap final yr, Tebogo additionally took 100m silver in Budapest as Lyles accomplished a golden treble.
That was a blinding return for Tebogo at his first senior world championship, but it surely was nothing in comparison with his achievement on the Stade de France as he marked his first Olympics with a gold.
Tebogo, sixth within the Paris 100m ultimate, lined up with a 200m private better of 19.50 – notably down on the favorite’s 19.31.
Showman Lyles made his entrance to large pleasure, seemingly able to seize his second with the eyes of the world fastened upon him, however he remained third all through following a sluggish begin.
Bednarek held out to equal his silver of three years in the past in Tokyo – a medal he additionally received on the 2022 World Championships – however couldn’t overhaul Tebogo, who sprinted clear to win Botswana’s first ever Olympic gold medal.
