“I don’t think it will take me long"- Letsile Tebogo makes a bold claim to break Usain Bolt's 200m Word Record after formidable win at Lausanne DL

Olympic Champion Letsile Tebogo vowed to break Usain Bolt's long-standing 200m world record taking into consideration his performances after a formidable win in the men's 200m at the Lausanne Diamond League. Bolt's 200m world record stands at 19.19s and was set at the World Athletic Championships in Berlin in 2009.

Letsile Tebogo defeated Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek to win the 200m gold at the Paris Olympics, clocking 19.46 seconds. Weeks later, he returned to the track at the Lausanne Diamond League and competed in the 200m.

Tebogo won the race after clocking 19.64 seconds, finishing ahead of Erriyon Knighton and Fred Kerley, who came second and third respectively. Soon after the race, he spoke about his performance in a post-race interview and said that while he wasn't putting any pressure on himself breaking the 200m world record, it wouldn't take him long to do so.

"I see it, but I don't want to put myself under that pressure of trying to break that world record. If it comes, it will come very surely. You don't have to push it this year, we don't have to push it next year. Probably when we are 24, that's when we can attempt something like that but I don't think it will take long, looking at what I did today and what I did in the 200m final. I don't think it will take that long because I could see it, it’s about 10 meters away from me," Tebogo said.

Letsile Tebogo previously refused to speak about the world record

Letsile Tebogo- Athletics - Olympic Games Paris 2024: Day 13 - Source: Getty

Letsile Tebogo came off as one of the best upcoming athletes in the 2024 season. When asked about breaking the world record back in May 2024 during the World Athletics relays, the Botswanian sprinter refused to be a part of the world record conversation.

"No, take me out of that world record conversation because I don’t want that pressure to put myself in. Let (Noah) Lyles speak about the world record and everyone else who wants to speak about it.”

Tebogo is next scheduled to compete in the men's 200m at the Silesia Diamond League 2024. Once again, the 21-year-old will be going head-to-head against Kenny Bednarek and Erriyon Knighton,among other sprinters.