Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo claimed a shock Olympic 200m gold medal as Noah Lyles was denied a dash double at Paris 2024.
Tebogo, 21, stormed away from his rivals to clock an African document of 19.46 seconds and end forward of American Kenneth Bednarek, who crossed the road in 19.62.
Lyles, topped the world’s quickest man by five-thousandths of a second in a traditionally fast 100m last on Sunday evening, was unable to compete on the head of the race and matched his Tokyo bronze in 19.70.
It emerged after the race that Lyles had examined constructive for Covid and the 27-year-old needed to be helped off the monitor in a wheelchair.
Having burst out on to the monitor to very large cheers earlier than the race, Lyles was in search of to develop into the primary man since Usain Bolt in 2016 to finish a 100m and 200m double at an Olympic Video games.
However Tebogo had different concepts.
A world bronze medallist over the space final 12 months, Tebogo additionally took 100m silver in Budapest as Lyles accomplished a golden treble.
That was a stunning return for Tebogo at his first senior world championship, nevertheless it was nothing in comparison with his achievement on the Stade de France as he marked his first Olympics with a gold.
Tebogo, sixth within the Paris 100m last, lined up with a 200m private better of 19.50 – notably down on the favorite’s 19.31.
Showman Lyles made his entrance to very large pleasure, seemingly able to seize his second with the eyes of the world mounted upon him, however he remained third all through following a sluggish begin.
Bednarek held out to equal his silver of three years in the past in Tokyo – a medal he additionally received on the 2022 World Championships – however couldn’t overhaul Tebogo, who sprinted clear to win Botswana’s first ever Olympic gold medal.