By
Reigning World Athletics Athlete of the Year, Letsile Tebogo, has set his sights on breaking the iconic 200m record held by Jamaican sprint legend Usain Bolt, which was set at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.
This record of 19:19 seconds has stood since 2009, when World Athletics was still known as the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations).
In an interview with SABC Sport, Tebogo, who recently spent two months training in Potchefstroom, South Africa, with his team, expressed his strong commitment to shattering this long-standing record.
"I will say the African record, whenever I want to break it, I just know where to press and touch and then go for it. I believe the world record is the one that's up there, that needs to be broken, that's where we are building up everything," said Tebogo.
Tebogo, who set a new African 200m record with a time of 19.46 seconds on his way to winning gold at the Paris Olympics last year, has become an inspiration to people in Botswana and across the African continent.
"It's a tough one, but I believe I've inspired a lot of athletes across the globe and we talk, not only on a daily basis but we talk here and there to try and correct each other's mistakes going forward,” he added.
“So, I believe with what I've done and what the team has done at the Olympics, it was just a tip on the iceberg, I believe going forward, Botswana will be well known.”
Tebogo has shared how Namibian legend Frankie Fredericks, who won four Olympic silver medals in the 100m and 200m at the 1992 and 1996 Olympic Games, has been a major source of inspiration and a role model throughout his career.
Tebogo, recently appointed as the new ambassador for World Athletics' Kids Athletics programme, says his life has transformed dramatically since making history as the first African sprinter to win an Olympic gold medal.
With his newfound success, sponsors have been approaching him from all directions.
"I mean for the sponsors, it's a yes, the attention is too much, now we just have to make sure that we step correctly because there are a lot of youngsters looking at you. So, it's just making sure that you guide them to the right direction."
