Letsile Tebogo has addressed whether he might relocate to the US after a successful 2024 season.
The reigning Olympic 200m champion expressed his reservations about moving to the US, despite the advanced training facilities available for sprinters.
He noted that many African sprinters who make the transition often struggle to maintain their careers post-college, failing to turn professional.
Tebogo indicated that this concern has been on his mind, prompting him to conduct thorough research before making any decisions.
In an interview with World Athletics, he pointed out that the US is rife with competition, which can hinder an African sprinter’s progress.
He emphasized that there are always new talents emerging in the US, mentioning Quincy Wilson as a potential successor to Michael Johnson.
While acknowledging the challenge of nurturing a new generation of sprinters in Africa after the likes of himself, Ferdinand Omanyala, and Akani Simbine retire, Tebogo aims to shift the narrative. He believes Africa can produce top-tier sprinters without the need for relocation.
Tebogo stated, “It’s a tough question to answer but in the United States there is a lot of competition, so once you take one gem from Africa and you put it there, it is going to be destroyed. In the US there is already a new Michael Johnson coming up, Quincy Wilson. There is always somebody coming up for them. But for Africa it is rare to see somebody like me.”
He further explained, “So for me to decide not to go there but to sit down and start from way back in 2016 to just watch how African athletes progressed going to America – I found out that a lot of African athletes make it out of college but they can’t go professional afterwards.”
Continuing to excel on the world stage, Tebogo made history at the Paris Olympic Games as the first African to win the 200m gold medal and contributed to Botswana’s silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay. He is determined to secure a gold medal at the 2028 LA Olympic Games, emphasizing that he’s just getting started.
“I am proud of what I did at the Olympics because it was something that was stuck in my mind, helping the guys get a silver medal. We had always dreamed of getting a relay medal at the Olympics,” Tebogo said.
“Unfortunately, we didn’t get the gold but I had to make sure that we had at least a medal for the 4x400m because we had that potential, and the other teams were scared of Botswana. We still want that gold medal!”
Tebogo also shared insights about his strategic change in running order for the relay, expressing hope for achieving that coveted gold at the next Olympic Games.
