Letsile Tebogo Immediately Reacts to Noah Lyles Loss With Strong Admission: ”Can Lose It”

“Tebogo’s got half a yard and now it’s down to 10cm, and now it’s almost dead heat,” the commentator remarked as Noah Lyles chased Tebogo. And finally, the 100m world champion ran down the 200m Olympics gold medalist to win the men’s 200m Diamond League trophy in Zurich in 19.74s (-0.6). What a showdown! And as Tebogo came second in 19.76s, he had some words for Lyles after the race.

Letsile Tebogo took a dig at the widely known habit og Noah Lyles: Talking. He said, “This is the strong part of me – you have to let do the legs do the talk. Because the more you talk and you cannot prove it, it means you only talk, you do not prove yourself. But for me, I do not talk, I just let the legs do its thing. I think now, Lyles is humble. He knows what can happen in this sport. He wins today, tomorrow, he can lose it.” Well, Lyles’ 100m has been like that this season.

He lost to Oblique Seville in London, then he clocked 10.05 to win the heats in the USATF championships before pulling out. This was followed by another defeat to Olympic rival Kishane Thompson at the Silesia DL and then to Seville again in Brussels.

The Botswana sprinter added, “I believe since Paris, he has been humble, he has not been talking so much. But I believe, the more he is afraid of the other athlete. Now, he is just more calm. We are equally balanced at the moment.” Right now, as their rivalry sits at 4-2 in the American’s favor, Tebogo had some more words to share.

London, England, July 19th 2025: Letsile Tebogo of Botswana, Noah Lyles of United States, Oblique Seville of Jamaica compete in the Men s 100m during the 2025 Novuna London Athletics Meet at London Stadium in London, England Alexander Canillas/SPP PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxBRAxMEX Copyright: xAlexanderxCanillas/SPPx spp-en-AlCa-9U2A8909

“For sure, I am going to double in Tokyo. I just want to let it all out,” Letsile Tebogo remarked. He had hinted that he would not restrict himself to the 200m, and now we are going to see Letsile Tebogo vs Noah Lyles not only in the 200m but also in the 100m. Meanwhile, Noah also had his reaction after the race.

“Six in a row, the most in track! It is pretty nice to have that.” 

The 100 and 200m world champion got his hands on the 200m in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, and 2025, and the 100m in 2019, making him the only athlete to secure six Diamond League trophies. Probably that’s why a confident Lyles added, “I saw Letsile lean on the finish line and I leaned on the finish line but I knew I won.”

But this is not the first time that Tebogo has spoken about Noah.

Letsile Tebogo once called Noah Lyles arrogant

Last year, during the Paris Olympics, Lyles tested positive for COVID-19 two days before the men’s 200m final. Yet he raced and finished third with a time of 19.70 seconds, behind Tebogo (19.46s) and Kenny Bednarek (19.62s). In the post-race press conference, he was asked if he aspired to become the face of track and field. His answer?

The Botswana sprinter said, “I can’t be the face of athletics as I’m not a loud or arrogant person like Noah, so I believe Noah is the face of athletics.” Was he taking a dig at the American track and field athlete, or was it just an innocent statement? This was interpreted by some as a subtle dig at Noah Lyles‘ outspokenness. Tebogo later clarified this as well.

“When you get onto the track, it’s all about business,” he explained. “(But) when we finish, you can be friends, life goes on. But the ‘arrogance’ … he’s good to sell our sport.” Letsile even mentioned that he was too shy to ever try that.

Now, as Tokyo comes closer, who do you think will have an edge in the rivalry?

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