In the unforgettable men’s 200 m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Letsile Tebogo restricted Noah Lyles to win the gold in 19.46 seconds. But that race not only decided the medals; it also sparked a rivalry that kept track enthusiasts hooked. However, Tebogo doesn’t consider Lyles his biggest rival.

In an interview on the Life Unscripted with Lezozo podcast on December 30, 2025, Tebogo was asked about the competitors he sees as serious threats. “It will be Kenny Bednarek because he’s always there in each and every final,” he replied without hesitating.

Fans got a glimpse of Bednarek’s potential when he won silver in the 2024 Paris Olympics, followed by the men’s 200 m at the World Athletics Championships 2025. Noah Lyles took gold in 19.52, Bednarek was in the 19.5’s again for silver with 19.58, and Tebogo just missed out on bronze in 19.65, 0.01 behind Jamaica’s Bryan Levell. The pattern is clear. Bednarek does not fail to show up in important stages.

Even before the 2025 final, Bednarek spoke about his season mindset. “This year is the year to put everything together,” he said. “Letsile Tebogo talented athlete, you have Noah.. Their season hasn’t really started out the way they wanted but I think they will be alright when the time comes but right now, I am focused on me and fighting out with those guys.” Even after the 200 m Olympic final in 2024, Bednarek again spoke about Tebogo with respect.

“You know Tebogo ran a better race that day,” he said. “When you’re in that moment, a lot is going on. And when it comes down to milliseconds…that race was tight.” Both sprinters have carried themselves with respect when talking about each other. But not every rivalry stays calm behind the curtains.

Tebogo also alluded to tensions simmering beneath the surface. “There’s a few athletes from his training group,” he said. “They are beefing with me, but they are not saying it to my face.” He didn’t drop names. In case you don’t know,  Tebogo trains in Botswana under his longtime coach, Kebonyemodisa “Dose” Mosimanyane. Their training base is around Maun and Gaborone, has shaped Tebogo’s sprinting journey for years.

The question many fans ask now is simple. Why didn’t Tebogo name Noah Lyles as his biggest rival?

Letsile Tebogo and Noah Lyles tussle with the clock

The Tebogo vs Noah Lyles rivalry has never been boring. After Tebogo claimed the 200m Olympic gold in Paris, he dropped a line that went viral. “I can’t be the face of athletics…I’m not an arrogant or loud person like Noah.” Suddenly, a new narrative of rivalry was born.

When they faced off again at the Monaco Diamond League 200 m in 2025, the hype was real. Lyles won in 19.88 seconds, and Tebogo was right there in 19.97. It was close enough to begin arguments, but clear enough to illustrate that the Lyles was still a serious threat to the Olympic champion. Lyles even spoke about the pressure on himself. “I put myself in the fire,” he said before that rematch with Tebogo, which only goes to show how competitive and anticipated that matchup was.

Next stop was the Diamond League Final in Zurich, where the crowd witnessed another breathless finish. Noah Lyles again won 19.74. Tebogo 19.76. Lyles celebrated as only he could. “Six in a row, most in track!” he said, flexing consistency. But this is where the rivalry took an interesting turn, in a different way. Tebogo recently spoke openly about the so-called “beef” with an unexpected level of candor.

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When asked if things were truly tense between him and Noah Lyles, he shut down the drama without dismissing the past. “Nah, before it was a real thing,” he said. “Then he understood we still have a long way to go. So we had to drop both of our egos… We stay rivals on the track, but outside the track, which is cool.”

The rivalry is still there. Every 200 m final they run, you can feel it. It’s just not messy anymore. It’s the kind of rivalry that fans love- fierce off the court, respectful at the finish, and always, always close enough to keep fans hooked.