16 May 2025

The 200 metres Olympic champion, Letsile Tebogo will today start his 200m Diamond League Circuit in Doha.

Tebogo’s season first 200m race was during Botswana Golden Prix in April, where he clocked 20.23 seconds. 

Today he will line up against top athletes from around the world; Canadian Aaron Brown, Liberian Joseph Fahnbulleh, USA’s Kyree King, Courtney Lindsey, South African Shaun Maswanganyi, Swiss sprinter William Reais, and Italian Filippo Tortu. His competitors are aware of Tebogo’s talent, especially his ability to excel in the bend and maintain top-end speed, making him a dangerous contender on the track.

In addition to the sprinting events, the meet will feature a competitive 800 metres race, that will see Tshepiso Masalela, who will compete alongside Qatar’s Hatim Ait Oulghazi and Ibrahim Abass Chout. Also participating are Kenyan runners Aaron Cheminingwa, Laban Chepkwony, and Wyclife Kinyamal, Moroccan Abdelati El Guesse, USA’s Bryce Hoppel, Sweden’s Andreas Kramer, Algerian Slimane Moula, and Polish Patryk Sieradzki. The middle-distance events are gaining prominence, with some pundits suggesting that the race to potentially beat David Rudisha’s world record of 1:40.91 from the 2012 London Olympics is underway. 

However  history will be written as Refilwe Murangi was invited to compete in the 100 metres women B race. She becomes the first woman from Botswana in short sprint to compete at the Diamond League meeting. Others who will compete in the  invitational races are Galefele Moroko(400m) and  Tumo Van Wyk, both will also run for 400 meters. Botswana hurdler, Victor Ntweng will also compete in the 400 metres hurdles B race, he will be among seven Qatari hurdlers.

Coach Kebonyemodisa ‘Dose’ Mosimanyane, in an interview, praised Murangi’s invitation noting it as an achievement for Botswana women. 

“This invitation marks the beginning of great opportunities for women and girls in Botswana. We aim to develop our relay teams and individual sprinters to reach their full potential. We wish Murangi the best, and we hope she is also opening doors for other athletes in Botswana, and that alone shows that anything is possible, for a girl child,” he said.  ENDS