It was the kind of evening scripted for greatness. Rabat under the lights, the energy electric, and Letsile Tebogo poised to dazzle. With the Olympic 200m gold already under his belt and ambitions of a 100m-200m sweep, all eyes were on the young Batswana phenom. But what unfolded was not a coronation. It was a collapse. In a stunning turn of events, Tebogo failed to find his rhythm in the men’s 100m final, crossing the line dead last in a race he was expected to dominate. As South Africa’s Akani Simbine surged to a resounding victory, Tebogo’s sprint double dream took a devastating hit.

And just hours after that shock defeat, the final blow landed; Tebogo was a no-show for the 200m, officially marked as DNS (Did Not Start). For a man who lit up the Paris Olympics with a 19.46-second masterpiece in the 200m and delivered Botswana its first-ever athletics gold, the double-down in Rabat was supposed to be a victory lap. With six Diamond League wins in the 200m, this showdown was meant to reaffirm his status.

Instead, it raised alarming questions. What was supposed to be a season-defining double turned into a warning sign. Is Tebogo simply off form, or are deeper red flags beginning to wave? CITIUS MAG’s Chris Chavez took to X, highlighting a rising concern fans have been whispering about for months. “Was just mentioning this match-up on This Week in Track and Field to @prm_32 about how I’m tired of Tebogo barely trying in these races,” he posted.

“I need someone to step in and push him to the finish line or beat him. Courtney Lindsey was close in Doha! Kenny has looked like a man on a mission this season.” The frustration was valid. For an athlete who’s earned global hype, Tebogo’s inconsistency is starting to eclipse his potential. Courtney Lindsey, the American sprinter Chavez referenced, didn’t just show up in Rabat.

He owned the stage. Clocking a season-best 20.04 to take the win, Lindsey looked sharper than ever. Tebogo, on the other hand, was marked DNS after failing to appear at the start line. The same Tebogo who outpaced Lindsey in Doha just two weeks earlier, barely. Back on May 16, the Olympic champ dropped a flashy 20.10, even throwing a cheeky glance Lindsey’s way as he eased across the line.

Lindsey finished just 0.01 behind him. It was playful then. It feels haunting now. Back then, Tebogo seemed untouchable. But with Rabat’s stumble and Lindsey’s statement win, the narrative has flipped. Kenny Bednarek, two-time Olympic silver medalist, is quietly building a dangerous rhythm this season, and now Lindsey is doing more than just hanging around.

Tebogo’s Rabat setback highlights the tough road ahead

Letsile Tebogo came into the Rabat meet full of confidence. After his impressive 20.10 victory in the 200m at the Doha Diamond League on May 16th. The 21-year-old Motswana, who had a standout 2024 with five Diamond League wins and the Jesse Owens Rising Star Award, seemed poised to make a big statement by doubling in the Diamond League for the first time.

“I mean, this is the first time I’m doubling in a diamond league and the first time… I mean, winning both races will be a good night for me, but I don’t want to put myself under that pressure,” Tebogo said ahead of the races. But despite his ambitions, things didn’t go as planned in Rabat. He faced stiff competition from the likes of Courtney Lindsey and Kenny Bednarek.

This wasn’t the first time Tebogo and Lindsey had battled head-to-head with everything on the line. Back in April 2024 at the Kip Keino Classic in Kenya, Lindsey had narrowly beaten Tebogo in the 200m with a blistering 19.71 seconds, briefly taking the world lead in the event. That victory was a huge confidence boost for Lindsey and proved that he could challenge Tebogo at the highest level.

At Rabat, Tebogo’s earlier Doha success and his confident demeanor. Had many expecting him to dominate again. Instead, Lindsey once again pushed hard, and Tebogo’s momentum stalled. Leaving fans wondering if the Motswana star’s consistency in the sprints still needs fine-tuning. Tebogo himself admitted there were still issues to address, especially in the 100m.

“But the hundreds, they still have a few things that need to be fixed, which we are going to see if we have corrected in the past few days,” he said. Unfortunately, those problems didn’t seem to get fixed in time for Rabat. And the loss serves as a reminder that while Tebogo’s talent is undeniable, the road to dominance is rarely straightforward. With rivals like Lindsey closing in, Tebogo’s season will depend on how well he can adapt and iron out those lingering challenges.