Botswana has declared a half-day holiday to honor Letsile Tebogo, the nation’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist and the first African to win the 200-meter title at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
After securing victory in the men’s 200m final, Tebogo paid tribute to his late mother by showing a special message on his shoe. President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced the half-day holiday on Friday, praising the 21-year-old sprinter as “Botswana’s Sensation” following his historic performance.
The local newspaper, MMegoi, called it “Botswana’s finest sporting moment” as Tebogo clocked 19.46 seconds, setting a new African record and leaving pre-race favorite Noah Lyles in third place.
Tebogo’s remarkable achievement has deeply resonated across the nation. Social media is abuzz with celebrations, and students at the University of Botswana were seen dancing and singing well into the night.
President Masisi, who lost his voice from cheering, also honored Tebogo’s late mother, who passed away in May. She had been Tebogo’s biggest supporter, even secretly traveling to Budapest to witness his historic world championship medal win last year.
Letsile Tebogo’s gold medal not only marks a milestone for Botswana but also cements his place in the history books as the first African to claim gold in the 200m Olympic event.
