Letsile Tebogo named World Athletics Male Track Athlete of the Year

Botswana's speed king Letsile Tebogo has been named the 2024 Male Track Athlete of the Year ahead of Norwegian middle and long-distance runner Jakob Ingebrigsten.

Tebogo was announced the winner at the World Athletics Awards in Monaco for his 2024 season's exploits, especially for becoming Africa and Botswana's first Olympic champion in history after defeating pre-championship favourite Noah Lyles in the 200m final.

The youngster clocked a new African Record of 19.46s ahead of American Kenny Bednarek for the silver medal, while Covid-stricken Lyles settled for the silver medal.

Tebogo also anchored the Motswana 4x400m relay squad to the silver medal, thus leaving his first Olympic Games with two medals.

Aside from these, he finished fifth in the 100m final in Paris, and earlier in the season, he clocked the 300m World Best of 30.69s, and his 400m personal best of 44.29s places him in the Top 5 of the world's top list this year.

Despite losing the Diamond League title to Bednarek and not setting a World Record, Tebogo's accomplishments this year were enough to highly rate him by fans, the media, and the World Athletics governing body.