Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo has offered blunt advice to the rising star Gout Gout about racing alongside seniors, which could severely hamper his chances of winning major races and might cause injuries. Tebogo’s concerns have come to light since Gout Gout finished in sixth place at the Oslo Bislett Games, forcing the Botswanan sprinter to issue a stern warning to the Aussie sensation.
The road to the Diamond League is as thrilling as it is unforgiving, with several track stars making history for the good. Tebogo reigned supreme in the men’s 200m race in Oslo, clocking 19.84, while Gout Gout, after a series of thrilling displays of prowess on the track, struggled to keep pace with the senior lineup and ended up at No. 6 with a time of 20.60 seconds in his Diamond League debut.
After the event, Tebogo showed interest in speaking directly to Gout, but the Australian seemed unreachable. The winner, however, gave his post-race interview, where, apart from shedding light on the race itself, he spoke about the long-term implications that Gout could face if he continues to try and race alongside senior athletes:
“First and foremost, he should not get comfortable racing with the seniors. He still has a long way to go and should, by all means, play with his age mates where he is a bit more comfortable,” he said.
Tebogo also warned:
“The more he runs, the more he pushes, and the more injuries he is going to get. I hope his management, the coaches, and everybody around him will advise that because that is what worked for me.”
Gout stands with a personal best of 19.67 that he achieved at the Australian Championships back in April. The Australian star has decided not to race at the upcoming Commonwealth Games, but will instead focus on the World U20 Championships, scheduled to take place in the USA this August.
Gout Gout Hails Letsile Tebogo As His Hero
Gout Gout has long admired the Botswanan champion Letsile Tebogo, and despite competing against the Olympic champion, Gout has consistently viewed him as the perfect blueprint of a classic sprinter. Before facing Tebogo at Oslo, Gout said:
“When I started doing track and field, it was this guy (Tebogo),” said Gout.
“He was at the World Under-20s. I saw him running and thought, ‘Damn, he’s pretty good as a young bloke’. He’s kind of like me. A chilled guy. So I definitely looked up to Tebogo,” he added further.
The two have shared spaces outside the tracks on several occasions and have always shown deep admiration for each other’s career achievements.
Read more:
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
