Usain Bolt, the undisputed king of sprinting and world record holder in both the 100m and 200m, has never been shy about sharing his opinions on the next generation of athletes.
This time, the Jamaican legend has turned his attention to Letsile Tebogo, the 21-year-old sprint sensation from Botswana who has been electrifying the track world with his blistering times. In a recent interview, Bolt revealed what he believes are the two key qualities that make Tebogo not just a rising star, but potentially the next global icon of sprinting.
The first quality Bolt highlighted was Tebogo’s fearless mentality. Sprinting at the elite level is as much psychological as it is physical, and Bolt believes that Tebogo has shown an unusual level of confidence for someone so young. “You can see it in the way he lines up,” Bolt said. “He doesn’t get intimidated by the big names, the big crowds, or the pressure of the moment. That’s rare. When I was his age, I had to learn to block out the noise. He already seems to have mastered that.”
Tebogo’s fearlessness has been on full display over the last two seasons. Whether it was his record-breaking runs at the World U20 Championships or his stunning silver medal finish in the men’s 100m at the World Athletics Championships, Tebogo has consistently stepped up against the very best. Bolt believes this mindset will be crucial as the competition becomes even tougher. “If you want to dominate the sport, you need that killer instinct,” Bolt explained. “You can’t just run fast; you have to believe that you can beat anyone, anywhere. Tebogo has that belief.”
The second quality Bolt pointed out was Tebogo’s technical efficiency on the track. While many young sprinters rely purely on raw speed, Bolt praised Tebogo for having one of the smoothest sprinting techniques among today’s emerging stars. “He runs like someone who’s been doing this for 10 years,” Bolt said. “His drive phase is clean, his transition is smooth, and he holds his form all the way through the finish line. That’s what separates great sprinters from good ones.”
Bolt himself was known for his incredible top-end speed and relaxed running style, and he sees shades of that in Tebogo’s performances. He believes that with a few more years of experience and proper training, Tebogo could challenge times that once seemed untouchable. “He’s already running low 9.8s and mid-19.7s,” Bolt said with a grin. “That tells you he’s just scratching the surface.”
For Tebogo, the praise from Bolt is a massive compliment, as it comes from the man who redefined what was possible in sprinting. The young Botswanan star has repeatedly said that Bolt was his inspiration growing up, and now he finds himself being tipped as the man to carry the torch.
If Bolt’s assessment is correct, the future of sprinting is in very good hands. With fearlessness and flawless technique as his foundation, Letsile Tebogo may well be the athlete who ushers in the next golden era of track and field.
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