Letsile Tebogo’s Heroics Push Botswana Government to Make Big National Changes After Tokyo Athletics Championships

The 22-year-old Letsile Tebogo is just a normal ‘School Boy’ from Botswana. But when this School Boy brings gold for his country, the nation regards him with something special. Like last year, when Tebogo won the nation’s first Olympic gold (in the men’s 200m) in Paris, the Botswana government declared a half-day holiday, allowing citizens to “pause and celebrate him.” This year too, as the Tebogo and co. clinched a gold for the country in the 4x400m relay, the African nation once again celebrated the Championships victory by declaring a public holiday.

On September 22, the 4x400m relay squad of Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi edged Team USA to gold. With this, Botswana became the first African nation to win the event. Following the victory, the Government of Botswana has declared a public holiday on September 29th to celebrate the country’s victory. President Duma Boko stated that the state will set aside the day before their official Independence Day on September 30.

Further, the President regarded the triumph as the “historic African win“, in an online address praising the 4x400m squad for their performance. “I’ll be sure to tell everyone, Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just in the ground, they are our World Champion athletes,” the President said.

Perhaps, the euphoria is reminiscent of the celebration that followed Tebogo’s Paris Olympic victory. In 2024, Tebogo clocked a time of 19.46 seconds to win the 200m Olympic gold medal, the greatest glory in the sport not only for him but for his nation as well. This was Botswana’s first Olympic gold medal ever. To celebrate that, the then-President Mokgweetsi Masisi declared a half-day public holiday in Botswana. Tebogo’s achievement will be “etched in the annals of the history of the republic”, he said.

In addition to his gold medal, Tebogo earned a silver medal, alongside Bayapo Ndori, Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, and Anthony Pasela in the men’s 4x400m relay, clocking 2:54.53. Following this, Tebogo and his Olympics relay team received a special honor.

A special national honor for Olympics 4x400m relay team

On September 12, 2025, the Bank of Botswana completed 50 years of its existence, and honored the country’s Olympian by inaugurating a new limited-edition P50 commemorative banknote. A portrait style image of Tebogo with his 200m Olympic gold medal got featured on the bill, along with the silver-medal winning men’s 4x400m relay team.

More so, last year, upon returning home from Paris, Tebogo and his teammates were cheered by thousands in the capital of Gaborone. Fans waved Botswana’s blue-and-black flag. The athletes rode through the National Stadium on a rooftop bus, greeting cheering supporters, while traditional dancers in animal skins and beads kicked off the celebrations.

In addition, Tebogo received two houses (as a reward for the Olympics gold) from the sports minister of the country. Expressing his gratitude, he stated, “Mostly, this outpouring just made me proud to represent my country at that global level.” 

And, with another golden victory this year at the World Championships, Tebogo aspires to become unstoppable in his pursuit of achieving greatness in his beloved arena.