Gold medalist Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo celebrates with the national flag after winning the men’s 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris Olympics 2024 at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (Photo by Ben STANSALL / AFP)
President Mokgweetsi Masisi gave Botswana the afternoon off on Friday to celebrate Letsile Tebogo, the country’s first Olympic gold medalist and the first African to be crowned 200-meter champion at a Summer Games.
Masisi hailed the 21-year-old sprinter as “Botswana’s Sensation” after his outstanding performance on Thursday in the Paris Olympics.
“Botswana’s finest sporting moment,” beamed the Mmegi newspaper after Tebogo produced a stunning run in the 200m to take gold, leaving pre-race favorite Noah Lyles trailing in third.
READ: Paris Olympics 2024 – Inquirer Sports special coverage
To add to his performance, he also set an African record of 19.46sec.
Tebogo’s achievement will be “etched in the annals of the history of the republic”, the president said.
It was a party in Botswana last night after Letsile Tebogo won the Men's 200m gold medal at the #Paris2024 Olympics.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi has granted Batswana an afternoon day-off today to recognise and honour the Olympics champion. pic.twitter.com/YNxcab1BmE
— 263Chat.com 🇿🇼 (@263Chat) August 9, 2024
The Olympic medal is Botswana’s third after Nijel Amos won silver in the 800m at the 2012 London Games and the men’s 4x400m relay team took bronze in Tokyo in 2020.
Videos shared on social media showed students at the University of Botswana dancing and singing into the night, while people across the southern African nation posted their pride on X and Facebook.
“History made!” Masisi said on his X account. “My voice is completely gone thanks to the phenomenal #LetsileTebogo.”
Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo crosses the finish line to win the men’s 200m final of the athletics event at the Paris Olympics 2024 at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)
Masisi also paid tribute to Tebogo’s mother, his greatest fan, who died in May.
Tebogo is only the second athlete from Africa to win a medal in the 200m and the first ever to take gold.
Namibian Frankie Fredericks won silver in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.
Botswana National Olympic Committee senior vice president Tshepo Sitale told AFP that the committee was “happy beyond measure” about Tebogo’s achievement.
“Letsile is a rare talent and he has put Botswana on the map,” he said, adding that the sprinter would be welcomed home next week with a ceremony at the airport and a motorcade.
“Welcome to the club, Letsile Tebogo!” silver-medal winner Amos said on Facebook. “Your achievement is not just a personal triumph; it’s a monumental moment for our nation, especially after over a decade without an Olympic medal.”