Paris 200m champion Letsile Tebogo reveals inspiration behind 'Cold Palmer' Olympic final celebration
Published 26/02/2025 at 10:05 GMT
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Olympic 200m champion Letsile Tebogo was spotted at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday, where the longtime Chelsea fan revealed the inspiration behind his celebration at the Paris Games. Botswana's first ever Olympic gold medallist performed winger Cole Palmer's instantly recognisable goal celebration before taking to the track and winning the 200m in style.
Tebogo reveals reason for Palmer celebration after historic Olympic win
Video credit: TNT Sports
Olympic champion sprinter Letsile Tebogo has finally revealed the inspiration behind his eye-catching stunt before the 200m final at the Paris 2024 Games.
The sprinter from Botswana performed Chelsea winger Cole Palmer's goal celebration before the start of the final, which he went on to win in a time of 19.46 seconds.
Tebogo explained the thought behind it - and his lifelong support for Chelsea - to TNT Sports as he made an appearance at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday night.
Palmer wasn't on the scoresheet, but the Blues thrashed bottom-placed Southampton 4-0 to move back into the top four.
"I'm a big Chelsea fan, and I'm the Olympic champion also, so it feels good to mix up the two," Tebogo said.
"What made me really become a Chelsea fan was Didier Drogba, I was a big fan of him growing up, so I loved the way he played, his style of play, so then I became a big Chelsea fan.
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"I just thought of, who's my favourite player, what can I do to make it more interesting, because I knew I had the confidence in me to make it happen, to get the gold medal. But I didn't want to say it out loud, I had to make something up.
"I thought of 'Cold Palmer' and then made sure I do it the way he does it best.
"It was an amazing moment when I crossed that line because I know all the lives that, in my country, they depend on me. Africa needed change, everybody needed change around me, to see something different all over the world."
It was Botswana's first ever Olympic gold medal, sparking jubilation back home, and the government declared the day after his victory - August 9 - a public holiday.
The 21-year-old's star continued to rise as he was named World Athletics' Male Athlete of the Year and Male Track Athlete of the Year in December last year.
"The national holiday started after getting the gold, a half day, and then also when we got the silver medal for the 4x4, it was also a half day," he explained, referring to the men's 4x400m.
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Botswana's team - including Bayapo Ndori, Busang Kebinatshipi, and Anthony Pesela - finished second behind the United States, with Tebogo on the anchor leg.
"Going back home was amazing, the love, the support, everything was out there, all the African countries showed their true love and support towards the athletes."
Tebogo will next be in action on March 29 at the Maurie Plant meet in Melbourne, but he added, "Very soon I'll be back in Stamford Bridge, I have to be back!"
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