On September 8, 2024, at the inaugural Grand Prix Brescia, Olympic champion Letsile Tebogo of Botswana showcased his excellent form in the 200 meters, winning convincingly against a competitive field that included 16 medalists from the Paris 2024 Olympics. The 21-year-old athlete, who previously triumphed in Paris by defeating notable competitors such as Kenny Bednarek and 100-meter champion Noah Lyles, displayed remarkable speed along the back straight at the Gabre Gabric Stadium, finishing with a time of 20.66 seconds.

In a stellar performance, double Olympic gold medalist Vernon Norwood secured second place with a time of 20.75 seconds, narrowly finishing ahead of Belgium’s Kobe Vleminchx. Having made Brescia his training base in preparation for the Paris Olympics, Tebogo referred to the city as his “second home.” In addition to his gold medal in the 200 meters, he also contributed to Botswana’s success in the men’s 4×400-meter relay, where they claimed silver.

Furthermore, the meet witnessed notable performances from athletes across various disciplines. Jasmine Camacho-Quinn, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion in the women’s 100-meter hurdles, edged out Paris gold medallist Masai Russell by a mere three-hundredths of a second, winning with a time of 12.88 seconds after also recently defeating Russell at the Zurich Diamond League meeting. They both finished comfortably ahead of local athlete Giada Carmassi, who secured third place.

In the women’s 3000 meters, Kenya’s Beatrice Chebet, a long-distance double champion from Paris, continued her dominance with a victory in a time of 8:34.10. Kirani James, the Olympic champion from London 2012, triumphed in the men’s 400 meters with a clocking of 44.86 seconds, while Tebogo’s compatriot, Bayapo Ndori, also competed effectively.

Additionally, in the men’s 100 meters, Jamaica’s Rohan Watson emerged victorious with a time of 10.48 seconds, followed closely by his compatriot Michael Campbell at 10.53 seconds. The women’s 400-meter hurdles saw two-time Olympic gold medalist and former world record holder Dalilah Muhammad finish fourth, with local favorite Ayomide Folorunso claiming the top spot in 55.41 seconds.

Lastly, Timothy Cheruiyot of Kenya, the 1500-meter silver medalist from the Tokyo Olympics, won the men’s 800 meters in a season-best time of 1:45.46. Additionally, Alexis Holmes of the United States, recently crowned as the Olympic relay gold medallist in Paris, won the women’s 400 meters with a time of 51.32 seconds.

The Grand Prix Brescia not only highlighted the exceptional talents of current athletes but also served as a platform for the showcase of Olympic medalists who are setting their sights on future competitions.

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