In a matter of days this July, Letsile Tebogo went from global frontrunner to facing back-to-back defeats. First, he was outpaced by Noah Lyles in the Monaco Diamond League 200 m showdown. 19.97 s to Lyles’ 19.88 s. Then came another blow in Brescia, where he lost the 100 m by just 0.01 seconds to Jerome Blake. Now, with the World Championships looming, concerns are growing. And ahead of Tebogo’s next test in London, one track and field coach isn’t holding back. Here’s his warning…

“But right now on the world stage, where do you put him when it comes to the 100? Because if you’re asking me, I mean, the name that you kind of have to put at the top is you do have to still put Kishane there. I don’t really think you can ignore Noah Lyles for, you know, all the reasons I shouldn’t have to get into,” said Coach Rob for Letsile Tebogo, in his YouTube video today. Why Kishane? Well, Kishane Thompson has recently clocked 9.75 in the 100m, the fastest pro time record in almost 10 years, at the Jamaican National Championships in Kingston in June. As for Noah Lyles, would you ever count the Olympic gold medalist out of the race? Especially after he won the Monaco DL against the odds.

Rob acknowledged Letsile Tebogo’s talent but noted there’s no clear evidence he’s ahead of top sprinters like Oblique Seville or Fred Kerley heading into the Olympic final. At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Tebogo finished 6th in the 100 m (9.86 s), with Kerley taking bronze (9.81 s) and Seville placing 8th (9.91 s). Rob pointed out Tebogo’s inconsistent 100 m performances this year, most notably his 10.43s last-place finish at the Rabat Diamond League. Citing all that, Rob confessed that he’s uncertain how he’ll perform when the gun goes off. But he sure has hopes for Tebogo in a different discipline.

“I think the 200 is a much more exciting conversation when it comes to his prospects. But again, it’s not because the 100 is not a serious race for him. It’s just that right now the 200 is a very different animal than the 100.” Again, what could be better for the 200m Olympic gold medalist than to run for gold in 200m at the World Championships? Sure, 100m is an experiment worth taking, because as the coach said, winning that event means a lot more for your career and your bank account than the 200. He also quoted Noah Lyles, saying, “Nobody cares about the 200 m,” in a November 2024 interview with LetsRun. 

He is not counting the Olympian out for 100m for the medal, but he puts forward a valid point. He questioned, “are you taking him before Kishane? ‘Cause I’m not. And are you taking him before Noah? ‘Cause I’m not. And are you taking him before Trayvon Bromell? ‘Cause once again I’m not.” Kishane Thompson is the sixth fastest man of all time in the 100m. Noah Lyles beat Tebogo for Olympic gold with 9.784 s and set a PB. Trayvon Bromell has a win-loss ratio of 2:1 this season with a 9.84s best. “Those are three names I’m taking ahead of him in the 100 right now,” he said. Then he talked of the 200m and predicted the Championship podium.

He put Noah Lyles and Kenny Bednarek up there, citing they have not lost yet. “Noah only ran one race, but he ran with a lot of fast guys and he won. And Letsile in the 200 this year hasn’t really been losing. Just saying. Kenny Bednarek hasn’t been losing. You see what I’m saying? Like this is just it is what it is,” he said. Lyles ran one 200m in the Monaco DL and won with a time of 19.88s. Kenny Bednarek has also stayed undefeated this season across both 100 m and 200 m Grand Slam Track events. The only 200m Letsile lost this season has been the 200m in the Monaco DL.

Regarding his latest defeat in Centro Gabre Gabric, Rob admitted he barely registered it until Anderson Emerole of The Final Leg reminded him. He did say that it was a professional meet with prize money on the line, and he also left a warning. “Even though we say these races are tune‑ups for the Worlds, you do realize that when you’re tuning up a car and there’s a deadline on when that thing actually has to get on the road and go fast, you would better tune that thing up pretty quickly or else you’re going to end up behind all the world’s fastest men,” he said. When you look at his 2025 season, you would agree with Rob – he has no chances in the 100 meters.

Chances favor Letsile Tebogo in the 200m

Letsile Tebogo has been nearly flawless in the 200 m this season, winning three of four races with impressive times. He opened his campaign on April 12 at home in Gaborone with a solid 20.23 s into a 1.6 headwind. A month later, he dominated the Doha Diamond League in 20.10 s (+0.7). His best performance came at the Prefontaine Classic on July 5, where he clocked a blistering 19.76 s (+0.7) to win decisively. After this, he lost to Noah in Monaco, even when the odds were in his favor.. His 100 m journey has been more of a challenge.

Tebogo began the season with a win in Potchefstroom on April 16, clocking 10.55 s (+0.3). He then raced in Xiamen (10.20 s, +0.2), finishing 7th, followed by a third-place finish in Shaoxing with 10.03 s (+0.5). In Rabat, he struggled again, placing 9th with a season-worst 10.43 s (+0.6). This was followed by the loss in Brescia. The London Diamond League, scheduled for July 19, 2025, at London Stadium, and both Lyles and Tebogo are on the 100m list. Who’s winning?