The sprinter from the South African country beat the favorite Noah Lyles, who was apparently suffering from corona and had been aiming for the double after gold in the 100 m. The three-time world champion from the USA had to settle for bronze in the Stade de France. Lyles’ compatriot Kenneth Bednarek secured silver on Thursday. Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone won the 400 m hurdles in a world record time.
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Tebogo dominated the race and distanced himself from the competition by 16 hundredths and more. The 21-year-old finished in a time of 19.46 seconds. Only four people have completed the 200 m faster. “I am an Olympic champion, I never dreamed of this in my life – this is an incredible moment,” said the 21-year-old.
Lyles transported away in wheelchair
After the competition, Lyles was taken out of the indoor arena in a wheelchair because he could no longer leave the arena on his own. As the US federation announced shortly after the race, the sprinter from Florida had tested positive for the corona virus. On top of that, a yellow card appeared against him in the official results because he had apparently damaged his starting box.
It was the American’s first defeat in a 200m final in three years. His participation in the final of the sprint relay on Friday is now seriously in danger. Lyles wanted to be the first US sprinter since Carl Lewis exactly 40 years ago to achieve the double over 100 and 200m.
Image: GEPA pictures/ Armin Rauthner
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Image: GEPA pictures/ Armin Rauthner
In contrast, his compatriot McLaughlin-Levrone was dominant in the 400 m hurdles. The 25-year-old won in 50.37 seconds, improving her own world record by 28 hundredths of a second. The American Anna Cockrell came in second. It was the sixth time that McLaughlin-Levrone set a new world record.
Another American also won convincingly: Tara Davis-Woodhall didn’t give her opponents a chance in the long jump with a jump of 7.10 m. She relegated the German Malaika Mihambo and her US teammate Jasmine Moore to the other medal places. Mihambo, the Olympic champion from Tokyo and two-time world champion, was left behind with a jump of 6.98 m.
