Letsile Tebogo self-admittedly hates injuries. Back in 2025, when he had just returned from a break due to his grade two hamstring strain, the Paris Olympics Champ spoke about how injuries once frustrated him. But with time, he learnt to handle them better. Well, sadly, that skill is about to be put into use again, as Tebogo has once again suffered an injury. And the intensity only seems worse this time.

On April 3, during the men’s 100m heats at the Botswana Athletics Championships in Gaborone, Tebogo ran into trouble while warming up. He was testing the starting blocks right before the heats when he slipped and suffered a nasty fall.

He was then reportedly carried off the track, although more details on the nature and intensity of his injury are yet to be released. But in a video that’s gone viral, Tebogo’s fall sure looks alarming.

Right after putting one foot ahead, Tebogo tumbled and seemingly spun 360 before he fell sideways on the ground. Status: He reportedly has been forced out of the Botswana Athletics Championships following this injury. This also places the Olympics star’s presence at the upcoming World Relays (May 2- 3) on thin ice.

Just a few days back, a confident Letsile Tebogo had challenged Americans to show up at the 2026 World Relays, “Tell the US to bring their fastest, they are still going to be looking at our back numbers,” he had said.

And now, those plans suddenly look uncertain after this injury, which has come at a critical point in the athlete’s 2026 calendar.

• The Paris Olympics 200m champ, Tebogo, is also scheduled to race in the men’s 200m at the Prefontaine Classic in Eugene, USA, on July 4, where he would face top sprinters, including Kenny Bednarek.
• Also, the timing is important for Botswana’s relay ambitions. Since teams performing at the World Relays 2026 will have the chance to qualify for the first World Athletics Ultimate Championships in Budapest, the World Relays can be a big opportunity for both Tebogo and Botswana.

However, for those who know him, know this isn’t his first run-in with an injury.

Last year, his Coach Kebonyemodisa Mosimanyane, had confirmed that Tebogo had been experiencing recurrent injuries in his knee. The athlete even experienced a flare-up earlier in May 2025, which disrupted nearly two weeks of his training. Later, at the May 2025 Diamond League in Rabat, he withdrew from the 200m after struggling through the 100m and finishing last in 10.43 seconds.

But even with Letsile Tebogo sidelined, Botswana still had a reason to celebrate at the 2026 National Championships.

As Olympics star Letsile Tebogo stumbles, another 22-year-old shines

Sure, Letsile Tebogo’s injury cast doubt over Botswana’s sprint hopes, but soon after, Collen Kebinatshipi stepped up at the 2026 Botswana Athletics Championships in Gaborone.

Known mainly as a 400m runner, he dropped down to the 100m and ran 9.89 seconds twice, first in the semifinals and then again in the final. This made him the first athlete of the 2026 season to break the 10-second barrier and showed that Botswana has more sprint talent ready to shine.

Kebinatshipi’s performance now puts him alongside Letsile Tebogo, the Paris 2024 200m Olympics star, who holds the national 100m record at 9.86 seconds. Even before his recent performance, just last month, Kebinatshipi had clocked 10.53 seconds at the BAA Track and Field Series 4.

Though the reason why he’s running in the 100m is way different.

“I’ve been focusing more on the 400m in training, but I’ve been using the 100m to sharpen up my speed,” he explained.

This shows how he is using different races to build his speed and prepare for bigger challenges. Moreover, at just 22 years old, Kebinatshipi already has an impressive record.

He won silver in the 4×400m relay at the Paris 2024 Olympics and claimed two world titles at last year’s World Championships. This included an individual 400m victory over Jereem Richards and a gold medal in the 4×400m relay.

Thus, his strong performance in Gaborone confirms that he is ready for even bigger competitions and gives Botswana fans a new reason to be excited about the sprint season after Letsile Tebogo’s dominance.