Letsile Tebogo achieved the second-fastest split time ever recorded in history while anchoring Botswana to a silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
His remarkable split of 43.03 seconds played a crucial role in setting a new African record, helping the team to a final time of 2:54.53.
Tebogo showcased his extraordinary speed by anchoring Botswana to a silver medal with the second-fastest split time in history, clocking an impressive 43.03 seconds.
This time, just behind Michael Johnson’s legendary 42.94 seconds from 1993, was instrumental in Botswana setting a new African record with a total time of 2:54.53.
Despite Tebogo’s stellar effort, which saw him nearly secure a gold for Botswana, Rai Benjamin’s solid anchor leg helped the USA clinch victory in a new Olympic Record of 2:54.43. Great Britain, with a European Record of 2:55.83, finished in third place.
Tebogo is contemplating a shift to the 400m in 2025 after his remarkable performance in the men’s 4x400m relay final.
In the aftermath of this record-breaking race, Tebogo reflected on his potential future in the 400m, expressing openness to the idea.
“I believe next year it’s something that is going to happen because there’s not much events to happen. I believe maybe we’ll try the 400 next year, or maybe the 100 and 400, we’ll see,” he mentioned. “We just want to play around with the events, because maybe the 400 is where I belong, who knows. Nobody knows.”
Tebogo’s performance is particularly notable given that it was his eighth race in seven days, underscoring his exceptional talent and potential for greatness.
He humorously added, “I jokingly say I want to split a 42 leg. But if I do 43.0, it means a lot to everybody. It means we are in the best shapes of our life.”
Meanwhile, American sprinter Gabby Thomas emerged as the standout athlete of the Paris 2024 Olympics, claiming three gold medals.
Thomas excelled in the women’s 4x400m relay, contributing a stellar third leg to help the USA team secure gold with a time of 3:15.27, setting both an Olympic and Area Record. Her teammates, Shamier Little, Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone, and Alexis Holmes, each delivered exceptional performances, including McLaughlin-Levrone’s fastest 4x400m split time since 1982 at 47.70 seconds.
Thomas’s dominance extended beyond the relay. She also played a crucial role in the USA’s victory in the women’s 4x100m relay, alongside Melissa Jefferson, Tee Tee Terry, and Sha’Carri Richardson, finishing in 41.78 seconds. Additionally, Thomas claimed gold in the 200m with a time of 21.84 seconds, outpacing Julien Alfred and Brittany Brown.
With her impressive haul of gold medals, Thomas has solidified her status as the queen of athletics at the Paris 2024 Olympics, setting the stage for future successes in her career.
