Our Letsile: to the world, a star
Calistus Kolantsho | Tuesday August 13, 2024 09:30
Tebogo became the first African to win the event when he ran 19.46 seconds to beat Americans, Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles, to claim Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal, and becoming the fifth fastest man in history in the 200m race. The Monitor and Mmegi team(s) accompanied by the Mmegi Online crew pulled up in front of the Tebogo’s home in Mmalekwa ward on Saturday afternoon. We visited last year when Letsile surprised the entire world by becoming the first African man to win a medal in the 100m at the World Athletics Championships. Letsile was the flagbearer for Team Botswana at the Paris 2024 Olympics. He competed in the 100m where he finished in position six, setting a new National Record (NR) of 9.96. He went on to anchor the men’s 4x400m to podium finish for a silver medal. To the Tebogo family, despite all his achievements, he remains their son. Letsile’s grandmother, Toro Tebogo, said Letsile has never been like other kids. He was quick to sit, quick to walk, and even quick to talk. “The name Letsile means ‘luck has arrived in our family’. We were so excited when he was born that there was so much joy. We prayed to God for blessings, that he achieves everything he wanted in life. He was always an active boy, always having something to do. When he was young, I couldn't pick that he was going to be a sprinter until he was at school. Now he is an Olympic champion, I am so excited,” said the proud grandmother.
Toro said when Letsile arrives back home, the first thing she will say to him is that he should remain humble. The grandmother said she hadn't spoken to her grandchild since he won the 200m medal, which doesn't worry her because he is in good hands. “Our family members including his sister travelled to Paris to support him. His mother always accompanied him in all international competitions,” she explained. His aunt, Boitseo Tebogo beams with a smile as she takes us on a memory lane, starting by saying that Letsile was a hyperactive child. “E ne ele letsetse (troublesome), always being called to order and he didn't stay in one place for long. When you reprimand him, he will do something else. He was a young boy, when he was here we never stopped shouting but he was entertaining,” she said. According to Boitseo, Letsile started his primary school at Segopotso in Kanye for one term but transferred to Lesedi Primary School in Gaborone. She said due to the challenges of the city lifestyle, his mother Seratiwa was occupied by her job and there was nobody to take care of Letsile after school. By then Boitseo was a teacher at Lefoko Primary School next to Maokane village. She revealed that one day during school competitions, one teacher, Wendy Mogwase instructed him to get on the track. “We weren't surprised by his speed but we were shocked by his ability to keep his lane from the beginning to the end. He then came to school at Kids Academy in Kanye, that is where he was active in athletics, including long and middle distance races,” she said. He was transferred to Gaborone to complete his primary education and did his junior secondary education at Gaborone West Junior Secondary School before heading to Gaborone Senior Secondary School. When he was still at primary school, the family travelled to Namibia to support him.
“Letsile was supposed to do his Form Four in Good Hope but his mother refused. She wanted to be closer to her son and groom him because she had already realised that he was a good athlete and wanted to be with him the whole way. “He lived with his mother in Gaborone, they had a special relationship. Sometimes, they would argue and Seratiwa would call me and say ‘come and pick your child, I'm tired of him,’ those were special moments. Letsile grew up in an extended family, always there for him,” Boitseo said. She added that what excited her most was that Seratiwa took care of her children, Letsile and his sister, Ano, 12, and was not distracted by the Gaborone lifestyle. “Our lifestyle has changed, when we go out there people are always greeting us, and we are being identified with Letsile. There is nothing we can do, even if you try to ignore people, it isn't possible. He has lifted our name in the community,” she said letting out a soft laugh. Boitseo said before every competition, they always pray that he doesn't get a false start and they are never worried about his position. She said normally she steps outside and waits for the race to end. “I'm not able to watch him race. We usually have mixed feelings when he steps on the track, blood pressure rising, palpitations and all that. My cousin was even saying she couldn't wait for the Olympics to end because our pains don't end,” she said.
Boitseo said they are very excited about Letsile’s Olympic performance which was beyond their expectations. “I remember during his mother’s funeral, a pastor said to him ‘Don't worry Letsile, she will always be with you. You will hear her voice but don't be shocked, just keep running.’ He did exactly that in Paris, I believe he heard that voice. His mother had already booked everything, she was to travel to the Olympics to be with Letsile. Unfortunately, she passed on in May,” she said, taking a pause, sadness across her face. Boitseo mentioned that the passing of his mother didn't dampen his spirit, he kept fighting to fulfil his mother’s wish and she was his number one fan. She said Letsile is now taking care of Ano. He is also an aspiring farmer with his kraal and has shown interest in the Bonsmara cattle breed. “When he has to race, we don't want to disturb him, we would rather check on him through his coach, Kebonyemodisa ‘Dose’ Mosimanyane,” she said. The Botswana national anthem was played for the first time at the Olympics because of 21-year-old Letsile. Boitseo said what made the moment extra special was the Botswana flag being between American flags. “Letsile is a fighter and hyperactive, and after the passing of his mother, he became mature. It's a way for him to cope. He is doing what he loves most and it was loved by his mother. He dedicated his victory to his mother, which is why he was wearing spikes bearing his mother’s date of birth and her initials ‘Elisabeth Seratiwa Tebogo' (EST) 23-12-1980. “These are emotions he has been bottling inside him and I believe he hasn't dealt with his grief. When he left home, he was in pain, he was just going to the Olympics for experience but his determination and will to honour his mother gave him power,” she said.
Jeremiah Orapeleng, who is a ward elder, said he was excited about Letsile’s achievements. He said Letsile grew up as an energetic boy and hyperactive who never bothered anyone. “He is a special talent and I don't think anybody in our village can emulate him. All I believe is that young boys and girls in this country will get motivated by his hard work and the spirit not to give up that he has,” he said. A family friend, Orapeleng Tsile, said Letsile showed signs that he was going to be an athlete when he was still young because he never walked slowly and used to ride a bicycle at high speed and sometimes she wondered if he would be able to stop it or be injured. “Letsile made history by beating athletics giants like Jamaica and America. I used to watch athletics before Letsile came on the scene. But now I enjoy athletics more because of him. I pray to God to protect and guide him all the time,” Tsile said. To the public and now the rest of the world, Letsile is a star but back home, he remains a humble child who is sent on typical errands.