Tebogo says late mother 'always there' ahead of emotional return to Budapest

What the report says

Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo is set to return to Budapest for next week’s Ultimate Championships, a place that carries deep personal meaning for the Botswana sprinter, BBC Sport Africa reported. The Hungarian capital is where Tebogo first broke through on the global stage at the 2023 World Championships, while his mother, Seratiwa, was in the stands to witness him win silver in the 100m and bronze in the 200m, the first world championship medals ever won by a male athlete from Botswana.

That return will be more emotional because Seratiwa died in May 2024 after a short illness. Tebogo said the trip without her is difficult, but added that he feels she remains with him “in spirit” and gives him strength when he is tempted to give up. The BBC article noted that the pair had a very close relationship, and that his mother had once described their bond as more like that of siblings.

Since Budapest, Tebogo has gone on to become Botswana’s first Olympic champion by winning the 200m in Paris in 2024. He also honoured his mother there by wearing her initials on his shoes and fingernails. The Ultimate Championships, running in Budapest from 11-13 September, is a new biennial event created by World Athletics to bring together the season’s top performers, with a large prize fund and the sport’s leading names.

Tebogo will also take part as a team captain in a youth athletics activity linked to the event, using the occasion to stress preparation, accountability and sportsmanship. More broadly, his return highlights both his rapid rise and the continuing significance of family support in elite sport.