In Paris
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo glanced to his right as he jogged past the finish line of the Paris Olympic Games’ 100 metres heats at the Stade de France Saturday.
American Fred Kerley beat him to the tape in Heat Eight, winning in 9.97 seconds with Tebogo second in 10.01 and Briton Zharnel Hughes third in 10.03.
That didn’t bother the 21-year-old star from Gaborone, especially with the first three across the line making it to Sunday’s semi-finals to fight for a place in the blue riband final which will be run at 9.21pm, Paris time, which is 10.21pm, Kenyan time, tonight.
Tebogo was equally relaxed as he walked through the media mixed zone, answering questions from curious global media with consummate ease.
“I won’t answer that,” was his curt response to a question by a Nigerian journalist about how he was coping with competition after the death of his mother, Seratiwa Tebogo, which occurred in May.
Botswana sprinter Letsile Tebogo’s finger nails with an inscription of his late mother’s initials during yesterday’s 100 metres heats at the Stade de France.
Photo credit: Elias Makori
After an eerie silence as the youngster pulled himself together, the ice was broken by another question: “Tell us something about your finger nails…”
“These are the initials of my mum,” he responded, displaying the nails bearing the artistic inscription of his late mother’s initials, in black and in a beautifully calligraphed Cabazon font.
Seratiwa passed on as Tebogo was competing in the Los Angeles Grand Prix in the US in May, and the loss hit him hard.
The youngster leads a strong African charge in today’s semi-finals that will run at 8.05pm (9.05pm Kenyan time) ahead of the final one hour, 10 minutes later.
“It’s all about having fun… you’ll never see Paris 2024 again,” he responded when asked why he took it easy at the finish.
“The heats are the most relaxed part of the races… when you get into the semi-finals and final, it’s all gas, no brakes,” the youngster, popularly known back home as “Schoolboy”, said.
Besides Tebogo, Kenya’s Africa record holder Ferdinand Omanyala, and South Africa’s former Africa champion Akani Simbine, Favour Oghene Ashe (Nigeria), Benjamin Azamati (Ghana), Shaun Maswanganyi (South Africa), Emmanuel Matadi (Liberia), Kayisola Ajayi (Nigeria), Benjamin Richardson (South Africa) and Abdu-Rasheed Saminu were the other Africans who qualified for Sunday's semis.
“I believe it’s time for Africa if the athletes are determined and have the will power to make it into the final,” Tobogo remarked.
Omanyala, with a personal best time of 9.77 seconds, the Africa record, is drawn in Heat Three tonight, with the first two athletes across the line assured of a lane in the final later tonight.
The Kenyan policeman will be up against, among others, Britain’s World Championships silver medalist and double European champion Zharnel Hughes (9.83), Tokyo Olympics 200m gold medallist Andre de Grasse (10.00) and Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson.
On Saturday, Omanyala was cool, calm and collected, soaking up the Stade de France atmosphere as he acknowledged cheers from the crowd.
“We are in a championship and you don’t want to burn yourself out… Today was all about introducing yourself into the field, and tomorrow (today) is where the game is,” he reacted, post-race.
“Today was just about enjoying it. The moment I got into that stadium, I just started laughing because the crowd was just amazing.”
Omanyala’s wife, Laventa Amutavi, is in town and has been made comfortable by the Miramas Athletics Club from the City of Miramas, which has been Omanyala’s launch pad for these Olympics.
She was expected to make him dinner Saturday night and ensure that he is in the right frame of mind for Sunday’s big nine-or-so seconds.
“Right now I’ll go in for recovery, take some ice baths, massage and good rest. I’m happy that the semis are at 8pm so we’ll get some good rest.
Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala (centre) wins the second heat of the 100m race at the Paris Olympics on August 3, 2024 at Stade de France.
Photo credit: Joan Pereruan | Nation Media Group
“My wife is here, I don’t know what she has prepared for me for supper, but I’m sure it’s a good meal.”
Like Tebogo and Omanyala, South Africa’s Simbine is happy to see more Africans making it through to the semis.
“Africa is turning up right now and it’s a really great thing… we have never had this (many Africans in the semis) before, and I’m really excited about it and also about all three South Africans advancing,” said 30-year-old Simbine who held the Africa record at 9.84 seconds before Omanyala cut it down to 9.77.
USA’s trio of reigning world champion Noah Lyles, Olympic silver medallist Kenny Bednarek and 2022 world champion Fred Kerley will take the battle to the African legion.
Bednarek, nicknamed “Kung-fu” for his trademark bandana, said he was wary of the challenge Omanyala poses, having beaten him to the tape at this year’s Kip Keino Classic Continental Tour Gold meeting in Nairobi in April.
Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala (centre) wins the second heat of the 100m race at the Paris Olympics on August 3, 2024 at Stade de France.
Photo credit: Joan Pereruan | Nation Media Group
Kenya's Ferdinand Omanyala greets the fans after winning the second heat of the 100m race at the Paris Olympics on August 3, 2024 at Stade de France.
Photo credit: Joan Pereruan | Nation Media Group
“Running in the Kip Keino Classic in Nairobi instilled some confidence in me this season. I know Omanyala is a good starter, so for me to come out of Nairobi with a win was a confidence booster.
“And after winning with a 9.91, wind-aided time in Nairobi, I was like ‘OK, I know everything I was doing is working’ and so it helped the building blocks to where I am right now… I will be in Kenya every year!” he remarked in a seal of approval to the Absa bank-backed Kip Keino Classic.
In yesterday’s heats, the first three across the line qualified for tonight’s semi-finals alongside the next three fastest runners.
In the semis today, the first two in each heat, along with the two fastest losers, will qualify for the final.
Kenyans are waiting with bated breath to see if “Ferdie” will finally hand the country its first Olympic sprints medal tonight.
