On August 8, 2024, Letsile Tebogo streaked forward to win a historic Olympic gold medal, beating Kenneth Bednarek and Noah Lyles. Fast forward to April 2026: Bednarek beat Tebogo at Rabat. It marks Tebogo’s ninth consecutive individual major race without a win. Yet, Olympic champions are allowed off-seasons, and with his streak bleeding into 2026, Tebogo has finally spoken on exactly why.

The 22-year-old was speaking ahead of the Rome Diamond League meet and had a lot to say. 

“I’d say last twenty-five, it was an off-season because I wasn’t at my best mentally, physically,” Tebogo said in an interview on X. “It was just an off year, even though we made it into each and every final.

“But I believe we needed that break as much as people didn’t know how much impact that gold medal had, how much we have to go through for that gold medal. So I believe now until twenty-eight, it’s all about having fun up until we decide when to leave the sport.”

Tebogo’s physical struggles are evident: a recent track collapse at Botswana Championships, recurring hamstring flare-ups. It ruled him out of the 100m race, and many expected the worst, although Tebogo later reported he was fit. 

Before that, he suffered from a recurring hamstring injury, especially over the last few years. A flare-up occurred in May 2025, leading to him pulling out of the 200m at the 2025 Rabat DL meet in the end. Tebogo recovered enough to compete in the Prefontaine DL a month later, winning the race. That most likely played a part in his 2025 season, as the Olympian was inconsistent throughout the year, often finishing second.

His 2-for-10 record in major races underscores the inconsistency he battled. The Prefontaine DL meet in July was one, with his other coming just before his injury, in the 200m at the Doha DL meet in mid-May. Outside that and his performances in the relays, Tebogo largely either finished second or well outside that, finishing seventh or eighth thrice. 

At Worlds, he reached both 200m and 100m finals but faltered: disqualified (false start) and fourth (19.65). That ended his season on a sour note, even if Botswana did win gold in the 4x400m relays. 

Tebogo faced similar issues in 2023 before showing a miraculous change in form in 2024. In 2023, Tebogo suffered a grade 1 hamstring strain while preparing for the 200m in Budapest. However, he managed his body from the blocks but dealt with resulting fatigue. This relentless drive allowed him to secure Africa’s first World Championship 100m medal in 2023.

He will be hoping for a similar turnaround in 2026. Yet despite his seemingly poor start to the 2026 season, Letsile Tebogo doesn’t see things that way. Instead, the 22-year-old is rather excited by his start to the year.

Letsile Tebogo believes he’s had a ‘great’ start to the 2026 season

The 22-year-old made good on his words during the World Athletics Relays, as Botswana won gold in the 4x400m and silver in the 4x100m relays. It marked a rather impressive performance from the sprinter and one he said he would deliver earlier in the season.

Yet, his individual season hasn’t gone to plan. So far, he has finished seventh and eighth in the Shanghai and Xiamen DL, respectively, before losing gold to Kenneth Bednarek in the 200m at Rabat. However, Tebogo is excited about how his season has started so far.

“I’m excited,” Tebogo said, according to Pulse Sport. “A great start to the season. I would say we are still in that form, 2024, when it started. So, I’m happy with the performance and looking forward to the next one.

“I think it’s just to stay consistent and drop in some sub-20s because we are preparing for something big, something ahead of us. So, we wait for September. It’s all gas, no brakes. That’s what we have to do, just keep on improving each race that we get into.”

The 22-year-old’s focus is now on his next Diamond League meets. There, Tebogo will be running the 100m and 200m at Rome and Oslo, respectively, with Gout Gout set to face him in Oslo.

“Rome, and then Oslo. It’s going to be really exciting. I’m so excited about the race, so I can’t wait to really get into that race and just execute,” he added.

For Tebogo, the explanation behind the losing streak is no longer a mystery. Now, with a fully fit season ahead, the Botswanan is focused less on the results that have slipped away and more on building toward the future. Only time will tell whether the results finally match the excitement.