American sprint legend Justin Gatlin believes that African sprinters, led by Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo, are poised to challenge the longstanding rivalry between American and Jamaican sprinters, particularly in the 100m. This rivalry, highlighted by Olympic champion Noah Lyles and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson, was prominently featured at the recent Olympics, where both sprinters clocked 9.79 seconds in the 100m final.
Lyles narrowly edged Thompson in a dramatic photo finish, confirming his dominance. However, Gatlin predicts that African sprinters are ready to disrupt the status quo. “The way Africa is rising in sprinting and track and field as a whole is remarkable. They’re finding their foothold, especially in the sprinting realm,” Gatlin shared during a recent episode of the Ready Set Go podcast.
He singled out Tebogo as a key figure in this rise, stating, “Tebogo isn’t just representing himself or Botswana, he’s championing an entire continent. This unity within African sprinters is creating an environment where ‘iron sharpens iron.’ That internal competition is sharpening their skills and pushing them closer to the global elite.”
Tebogo, who finished sixth in the 100m final with a time of 9.86 seconds, also clinched gold in the 200m, beating notable names like American Olympian Kenny Bednarek (who took silver) and Lyles (who finished bronze). This performance demonstrated Tebogo’s potential to dominate the sprinting scene in future seasons.
Looking forward, Tebogo and other top African sprinters, including Akani Simbine, who clocked 9.82 seconds in fourth place in the 100m final in Paris, aim to build on their success in preparation for the 2025 World Championships and the 2028 Olympics. Gatlin emphasized the need for constant improvement: “It’s all about improving by just 10%. That slight edge could be the difference between winning and losing. The margins are that small at this level.”
The close finish between Lyles and Thompson at the Olympics was one of the most dramatic in recent sprinting history. Gatlin believes such intense competition pushes athletes worldwide to elevate their performance. “The world is sharpening its knives, preparing for that fight. Last year, it was a blanket finish, and now everyone knows they need to improve their start, acceleration, and top speed to compete at that level,” he explained.
As the sprinting world prepares for upcoming championships, all eyes will be on Tebogo and his African counterparts to see if they can challenge the established order and usher in a new era of global sprinting rivalry.
