Dominican Republic sprinter Alexander Ogando has recently unveiled a dramatic new look and an ambitious goal following a close second-place finish behind Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo in the 200m race at the Silesia Diamond League classic on Sunday.
Tebogo, the reigning Olympic champion, set a meeting record with a time of 19.83 seconds. Ogando followed closely with a personal best of 19.86 seconds. Tebogo’s race was notable for its dramatic finish; despite a slow start, the 21-year-old surged ahead to narrowly secure victory. American sprinter Kenny Bednarek, the Olympic silver medalist, finished third with a time of 20.00 seconds, while Erriyon Knighton of the USA came in fourth at 20.07 seconds.
Ogando, who had finished fifth in the 200m final at the Paris Olympics just two weeks prior, discussed his new gold hair color in a post-race interview. He explained that this bold change symbolizes his emotions and his desire to surpass Tebogo and win the world title in Tokyo next year.
“I changed my hair to gold because I believe it represents my emotions and true potential,” Ogando said. “The fans really support this yellow-golden look, and I’m grateful for their backing. I feel great about running under 19.90 seconds and am thankful to God for this achievement. Honestly, I’m thrilled.”
Ogando’s performance in Silesia marks a strong recovery from his Paris Olympics result, where he finished fifth with a time of 20.02 seconds. Although he did not break the 20-second barrier in Paris, his Olympic performance earned him a diploma as one of the top eight runners.
Reflecting on his experience, Ogando expressed gratitude for the chance to compete at such a high level. “In Paris, we didn’t achieve what we had hoped for, but I’m thankful for the opportunity to compete here and give it my best,” he said. Looking ahead, Ogando plans to focus on improving his results in both the 100m and 200m events, with upcoming races scheduled in Zurich. “The time is still not perfect, but we’re moving forward, and I’m preparing for both the 100m and 200m in Zurich,” he announced.