Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo criticised American sprinter Noah Lyles after he won gold in the 200m final at the 2024 Olympic Games last Thursday.
Tebogo’s compatriots took matters further after his triumphant return.
During Tebogo celebrations in Botswana’s capital, Gaborone, on Tuesday, a man dressed as Tebogo was seen pushing a man dressed as Lyles in a wheelchair in a video posted on social media.
The two mocked Lyles for being carried off the track in a wheelchair after the 200-meter race.
Lyles, who won the bronze medal, ran the race while infected with COVID-19 and was in so much pain that he had to lie down on the track after the race to catch his breath.
Tebogo spoke to an outspoken Lyles at the post-race press conference.
“I don’t think I can be the face of athletics because I’m not as arrogant or vocal as Noah,” Tebogo said.
Lyles drew the ire of NBA stars last year when he said league champions were not world champions.
“The thing that hurts me the most when I watch the NBA Finals is they have ‘World Champions’ written over their heads. World champions of what? United States of America?'” Lyles said. “Don’t get me wrong, I love America, sometimes, but America is not the world.”
The 27-year-old Lyles beat Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by a fifth of a second to win the gold medal in the 100m final in a thrilling photo finish.
More than 30,000 people gathered at the Botswana National Stadium to welcome Tebogo and the country’s other Olympians home, according to ESPN.
Tebogo was also part of Botswana’s men’s 4×400 relay team, along with Busan Kebinatsipi, Bayapo Ndoli and Anthony Pesela, which won silver (gold went to the United States).
