Botswana Declares Afternoon Holiday to Celebrate Letsile Tebogo’s Historic Olympic Gold

Botswana has announced a national “afternoon day-off” on Friday, August 9, 2024, to honor Letsile Tebogo’s landmark achievement at the Paris Olympics. Tebogo clinched the first-ever Olympic gold medal for Botswana in the men’s 200m race, finishing with a time of 19.46 seconds.

In a surprising turn of events, Tebogo outpaced American sprinter Noah Lyles, who took third place with a time of 19.70 seconds. Kenny Bednarek from the U.S. earned the silver with a time of 19.62 seconds. Tebogo’s victory marks the first time a Motswana and an African athlete has won gold at the Olympics.

The decision to grant an afternoon off was announced by Emma Peloetletse, Permanent Secretary to the President. The statement, issued on behalf of President Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, celebrated Tebogo’s unprecedented achievement and emphasized the significance of this historic moment for the nation.

“His Excellency, Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, hereby declares to the nation that he has found it appropriate to honor Letsile Tebogo, ‘Botswana’s Sensation,’ by granting Batswana and residents an afternoon day-off on this day, Friday, August 9, 2024,” the statement read.

President Masisi praised Tebogo’s remarkable performance, highlighting its importance in Botswana’s history. He also paid tribute to Tebogo’s late mother, who had been a significant source of inspiration for the athlete. Tebogo honored his mother by inscribing her date of birth on his running shoe, sharing, “It’s basically me carrying her through every stride that I take inside the field. It gives me a lot of motivation. She’s watching up there, and she’s really, really happy.”

Reflecting on his achievement, Tebogo expressed his joy, saying, “It was really a beautiful race for me. That’s all I could’ve wished for. I’m happy I finished the race healthier than before.”