“I came from Africa with nothing and became the fastest man in the world!” | Letsile Tebogo

This interview was made by The Elevate House, the French podcast hosted by Étienne Ca. In this new episode, I welcome Letsile Tebogo, Olympic 200m champion in Paris and the first Olympic champion in Botswana's history. How did a boy from Kanye who saw himself as a footballer become one of the fastest men on the planet? Why did he never dream of becoming an Olympic champion? And what are the three Ds that, according to him, make all the difference? On August 8, 2024, he won the final in 19.46, an African record. Letsile talks about growing up with his grandmother in Kanye, the footballer he wanted to be, the four seconds before the Olympic final a few months after losing his mother, the woman screaming Noah Lyles' name as they came out of the tunnel, the house Botswana gave him for his gold medal, and 2025, the year he didn't want anything to do with track and field. A huge thank you to Nike for welcoming us into their offices for this shoot! Thanks to them, we were able to host one of the fastest athletes on the planet on The Elevate House. Every week, I welcome experts, entrepreneurs, celebrities and athletes who share their journeys and life lessons. Together, we uncover untold and inspiring stories, with one ambition: to bring together a community driven by the desire to grow and become the best version of itself. My commitment: to inspire you to grow and reach your full potential. Presented by - Étienne Ca 00:00 Intro 01:41 "I'm just a boy who grew up with nothing" 05:22 How did you run 9.91 at 19? 06:21 "If you're missing 1% mentally, it's over for you" 09:20 What's your mental exercise against pressure? 12:24 How did Nike come into your life? 14:11 What goes through your head 4 seconds before the Olympic final? 17:37 The woman who screamed Noah Lyles' name 19:14 Did Botswana really give you a house? 22:00 "I didn't want anything to do with track and field" 24:06 How many Olympic champions will Africa never discover? 29:52 The three Ds that make an Olympic champion 34:32 What do you want to leave behind, beyond the medals? Subtitles available in Setswana, English and French.