Botswana will get afternoon off to rejoice its first Olympic gold

Gold medalist Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo celebrates with the nationwide flag after profitable the lads’s 200m remaining of the athletics occasion on the Paris Olympics 2024 at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (Photograph by Ben STANSALL / AFP)

President Mokgweetsi Masisi gave Botswana the afternoon off on Friday to rejoice Letsile Tebogo, the nation’s first Olympic gold medalist and the primary African to be topped 200-meter champion at a Summer time Video games.

Masisi hailed the 21-year-old sprinter as “Botswana’s Sensation” after his excellent efficiency on Thursday within the Paris Olympics.

“Botswana’s most interesting sporting second,” beamed the Mmegi newspaper after Tebogo produced a surprising run within the 200m to take gold, leaving pre-race favourite Noah Lyles trailing in third.

READ: Paris Olympics 2024 – Inquirer Sports activities particular protection

So as to add to his efficiency, he additionally set an African file of 19.46sec.

Tebogo’s achievement shall be “etched within the annals of the historical past of the republic”, the president mentioned.

It was a celebration in Botswana final evening after Letsile Tebogo received the Males’s 200m gold medal on the #Paris2024 Olympics.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi has granted Batswana a day day-off at this time 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 received silver within the 800m on the 2012 London Video games and the lads’s 4x400m relay workforce took bronze in Tokyo in 2020.

Movies shared on social media confirmed college students on the College of Botswana dancing and singing into the evening, whereas folks throughout the southern African nation posted their delight on X and Fb.

“Historical past made!” Masisi mentioned on his X account. “My voice is totally gone because of the outstanding #LetsileTebogo.”

Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo crosses the end line to win the lads’s 200m remaining of the athletics occasion on the Paris Olympics 2024 at Stade de France in Saint-Denis, north of Paris, on August 8, 2024. (Photograph by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

Masisi additionally paid tribute to Tebogo’s mom, his biggest fan, who died in Could.

Tebogo is barely the second athlete from Africa to win a medal within the 200m and the primary ever to take gold.

Namibian Frankie Fredericks received silver in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996.

Botswana Nationwide Olympic Committee senior vp Tshepo Sitale advised AFP that the committee was “completely satisfied past measure” about Tebogo’s achievement.

“Letsile is a uncommon expertise and he has put Botswana on the map,” he mentioned, including that the sprinter can be welcomed dwelling subsequent week with a ceremony on the airport and a motorcade.

“Welcome to the membership, Letsile Tebogo!” silver-medal winner Amos mentioned on Fb. “Your achievement isn’t just a private triumph; it’s a monumental second for our nation, particularly after over a decade with out an Olympic medal.”