Paris Olympics 2024: USA's Noah Lyles misses out on sprint double as Letsile Tebogo storms to 200m gold
Updated 08/08/2024 at 22:41 GMT+1
Botswana's Letsile Tebogo romped to gold in the final of men's 200m to deny USA's Noah Lyles a historic Olympic sprint double. It was billed as Lyles' chance to follow in the footsteps of Usain Bolt and add the 200m title to his 100m triumph, but he had to settle for bronze as Tebogo became Botswana's first Olympic champion from American Kenny Bednarek in second.
Watch as Tebogo causes big upset to claim 200m gold ahead of Lyles
Video credit: TNT Sports
USA’s Noah Lyles missed out on becoming the first man since Usain Bolt to complete an Olympic sprint double as Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo stormed to 200m gold in Paris.
Lyles made a strong start in his bid to add 200m glory to his thrilling 100m victory, but he was powerless to stop Tebogo, who romped to an emphatic victory in 19.46s.
It was another American, Kenny Bednarek, who was Tebogo’s nearest challenger and claimed silver in 19.62s, with Lyles taking a second successive Olympic 200m bronze medal in 19.70s.
Tebogo is the world bronze medallist but now becomes Botswana’s first Olympic champion.
“I’m the Olympic champion, it’s something that I have never seen in my life or dreamt of,” Tebogo told Eurosport.
He continued: “I just came here with the little that I had in me just to push through because yesterday when I made it to the final, my coach just told me ‘now it’s my race and you can do whatever you want. It’s either a medal or it’s not, I don’t care, you made it through. After all you’ve been through, making it to the final, I’m the happiest coach ever.’
“For me, this is really, really an amazing moment for myself.”
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'I am the Olympic champion' - Tebogo's achievement begins to sink in
Video credit: TNT Sports
The story coming into the final was showman Lyles, who emerged onto the track in typically flamboyant fashion.
He has previously stated his belief that he is the man to follow in the footsteps of Bolt and become the face of men’s sprinting, and it was the Jamaican he was aiming to emulate.
Bolt completed the sprint double in three successive Olympics - 2008, 2012 and 2016 - but Lyles came up short in what he said was his better event after taking the 100m title.
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In terms of American sport, he would have become the first man since Carl Lewis in 1984 to take 100m and 200m glory.
Starts have been his Achilles heel but he got off his blocks well to quickly make up ground on Erriyon Knighton on his outside.
Taking the bend he, Bednarek and Tebogo were all in the hunt, but it was Lyles who fell back, his typically smooth technique suddenly looking ragged.
He slumped to the ground at the climax and appeared to need some assistance leaving the arena, and it later transpired he had tested positive for Covid, but that should take nothing away from the brilliance of Tebogo.
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Concern as Lyles wheeled off after favourite settles for bronze in 200m
Video credit: TNT Sports
Like in the semi-final against Lyles, the 21-year-old found another gear on the sprint to the line and made it look easy in the end.
Tebogo lost his mother earlier this year and dedicated the victory to her and the rest of his family.
“It really means a lot to my late mum because she always dreamt of making it here,” he added. “My little sister is somewhere in the stands, I don’t know where she is sitting but I believe she is happy, she is representing her while she is here.
“It means a lot for everybody, the country, the continent, and my family at large.”
Holloway ends wait for Olympic gold
USA’s Grant Holloway stormed to the 110m hurdles title to finally get his hands on an Olympic gold medal.
The 26-year-old, three times a world 110m hurdles champion - 2019, 2022 and 2023 - was the overwhelming favourite coming into the final and proved too good for the field.
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He led from the front and clocked a time of 12.99 seconds to upgrade his silver from Tokyo 2020 to gold.
Behind, compatriot Daniel Roberts took silver in 13.09 seconds after a photo finish with Jamaica’s Rasheed Broadbell.
Nadeem breaks Olympic record to take javelin gold
Arshad Nadeem of Pakistan set a new Olympic record to claim gold in the final of the men’s javelin on Thursday night in Paris.
The longest throws all came in the early rounds, but it was world silver medallist Nadeem who prevailed with an effort of 92.97 metres.
India’s Neeraj Chopra, the Olympic champion from Tokyo 2020, had to settle for silver with a best of 89.45m, with Grenadian two-time world champion Anderson Peters (88.54m) taking bronze.
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