Letsile Tebogo has been awarded the Jesse Owens Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year

Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo has been awarded the Jesse Owens Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year at the Diamond League Final held in Zurich. Although the Botswanan athlete did not secure the Diamond Trophy, his performance in the final further solidified his status as one of the premier athletes of his generation.

In a highly anticipated matchup at the 2025 Diamond League Final, the Olympic champion went head-to-head with American competitor Noah Lyles.

The 22-year-old Botswanan narrowly missed clinching victory in a thrilling photo finish, concluding the race just 0.02 seconds behind Noah Lyles.

Nevertheless, Letsile Tebogo received a consolation prize. His time of 19.76 seconds was the fastest recorded by an athlete under the age of 23 at this year’s finals, earning him the Jesse Owens Rising Star Award for the second consecutive year.

This award, a joint initiative between the Owens family, the Jesse Owens Foundation, and the Diamond League, pays tribute to the legacy of one of sports’ most iconic figures while celebrating the finest young talent in track and field.

He was presented with the award by grandchildren Gina Hemphill-Strachan and Marlene Dortch, alongside the other 2025 recipient, Faith Cherotich.

This marks the second consecutive year that Tebogo has received this accolade, having also been recognized as the top-performing athlete under 23 at last year’s finals in Brussels.

The award concluded another outstanding season in the Diamond League for Letsile Tebogo, who commenced his campaign with two successive victories and maintained peak performance throughout the year.