In Thursday’s men’s 200-meter final at the Paris 2024 Olympics, Letsile Tebogo captured Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal, while Noah Lyles was unable to complete a sprint double.
After testing positive for COVID-19, 100-meter winner Lyles continued to compete and took home the bronze, with fellow countryman Kenny Bednarek taking home the silver. This was confirmed by US Track and Field.
At the Stade de France, Tebogo won in a time of 19.46 seconds, looking in command from the start as he captured only Botswana’s third Olympic medal overall.
Three years ago in the Tokyo Games, they won bronze in the men’s 4 x 400 relay, and in London 2012, Nijel Amos won silver in the men’s 800m.
In the semifinals, Tebogo had previously defeated Lyles, clocking a time of 19.96 to the American’s 20.08
Bednarek finished third in the Thursday final with a time of 19.70, while Lyles finished second with a timing of 19.62, amid speculation regarding his condition in the lead-up to the race.
Lyles was wheeled off the track in a chair following the final, and US Track and Field disclosed that he had been diagnosed with Covid-19.
Erriyon Knighton, another American, finished fifth, and Alexander Ogando of the Dominican Republic narrowly missed the podium with a time of 19.99.
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