Seeing Letsile Tebogo in Botswana’s signature sky blue jersey has become a familiar sight on international podiums, be it the Olympics or World Championships. But what if he wasn’t clad in blue but rather purple or red or even white?

It’s a reality that could’ve come to pass when several countries courted Tebogo after he won Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal at last year’s Paris Olympics. The 200m Olympic champion revealed that three countries—Qatar, the UAE, and Tunisia—had formally approached him with enticing offers to switch allegiance.

“Those are the three offers that are there on the table, and we are still trying to see… We told them what we are worth, and they are promising to up their game, so that’s how it is,” Tebogo told Duma FM.

But when asked whether he was considering the offers, Tebogo revealed that ultimately “they were all rejected.” As he explained, “Being out of the sport for, I think, four years without you representing any country before you can migrate into the other country.”

Though he seriously considered the offers from the UAE and Qatar, they have been shelved for now due to the lengthy release process. The rules state that any athlete who wishes to represent another country would have to wait three years following the application date or since they last competed for their original nation. For an athlete like Tebogo, such a long absence would undoubtedly hamper his momentum in the sport.

But even with these lucrative offers on the table, Tebogo didn’t let his focus waver on the track. He closed out the 2024 Diamond League season with a strong second-place finish in the finals in Brussels, clocking 19.80s.

And yet, despite all the attention and tempting offers from other countries, Letsile Tebogo has stayed loyal. “So for now, there’s no offer on the table,” he said. The bottom line is, his devotion to Botswana is clear.

How Letsile Tebogo stays rooted amid global fame

Letsile Tebogo was born in Kanye, Botswana, spending his childhood there before relocating to the capital of Gaborone during his teens. His clear talent propelled him to international success with various records and achievements, while he traveled frequently to Potchefstroom, South Africa, for high-level training.

Still, Tebogo hasn’t forgotten his origins. “Home for me is Kanye, where the roots are and also where my grandma is,” Tebogo, known as “School Boy,” told Red Bull.

Despite the world-class opportunities abroad, Letsile Tebogo prefers to stay close to home, training with his long-time coach Kebonyemodisa Mosimanyane in Maun, Botswana. Permanently relocating? That has never been in the scheme of things, despite receiving offers from the U.S.

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“I wanted to give [Mosimanyane] the chance to prove himself to me and the world,” joked Tebogo. “If he fails, then I will have to go. That was our agreement.”

After his historic Olympic gold, Tebogo was gifted money, livestock, and even two houses. Though the construction on one of those houses in Gaborone was completed this year, with Tebogo receiving the keys just last week, he may not necessarily be moving homes just yet.

“I will rent those two out because I am not going to move out of my mum’s house,” said Tebogo, who lives with his older sister, last year. Through it all, Tebogo has also continued to be an active participant in his community.

In early 2025, Botswana was hit by heavy floods; Tebogo acted without hesitation, rescuing people whose cars were stuck in the floods. Videos of him going through the water went viral.

Outside the track, he is committed to ensuring that kids get into sports across the globe, telling them his story and motivating the next generations. As he says, “To offer them hope is important.”

Through it all, the training camps abroad, the medals, and the attention from the world, Tebogo has never lost sight of home.