The world watched in awe as Botswana’s 20-year-old sprint sensation surged to a new national record of 9.88 seconds in the 100m final, trailing only Noah Lyles of the United States.
It was a three-way photo-finish for second, third and fourth all on 9.88, with Tebogo the first over the line (.873). This achievement marked a pivotal moment for African athletics because Tebogo became the first man from the Mother continent to go on the podium for a silver medal in the individual 100m race at senior world championships level.
Prodigious
A prodigious talent, Tebogo’s silver accolade adds to his impressive haul of world-level medals, which includes titles in both the Under 18 and Under 20 levels.
But the fruits of his breathtaking feat are not limited to his sporting legacy; the financial bonanza is a substantial one in the sum of USD 35,000 (equivalent to approximately P475,000) from World Athletics. Furthermore, the Ministry of Sports in Botswana, in accordance with its 2022 policy, will reward the turbo-charged athlete with P100,000 for his podium triumph. Add a qualification fee of P20,000 and an appearance fee of P4,000, and the lad is home and dry with a cool P599,000!
Nike et al
Tebogo’s success is not only celebrated by official bodies – corporate partners are also joining in to honour his achievement. This publication is informed that that sports apparel giant Nike, with which Tebogo has an endorsement deal, will reward him generously.
A source says because his agreement with Nike is performance-based, it is likely to become a wellspring of more financial rewards for Tebogo in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments on the track. No less significant is Tebogo’s role as Brand Ambassador for Orange Botswana that may also translate into yet another rewarding partnership for the lad with the speed of greased lightning.
A new wonder on the global stage
As the world awaits his performance in the 200m final in Budapest that is scheduled for later tonight (Friday), the potential for his earnings climbing even higher is looming large.
Tebogo’s journey to stardom has been a consistently upward trajectory. He has shattered his own Under 20 100m record, not once but thrice. His breakthrough moment came at the 2021 World Athletics U20 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya where he clinched a gold medal in the 100m event, marking a historic achievement for Botswana. A silver medal in the 200m solidified his burgeoning reputation as a new wonder on the global stage.
Tebogo is such a phenomenon that Budapest ’23 is already feeding speculation around his prospects of extending his streak of success to the pinnacle of athletics competitions, the Olympics, by obtaining the first-ever 100m or 200m medals for Botswana and Africa in Paris next year.
