Botswana get half-day off to celebrate Tebogo's gold

Batswanas are a happy and ‘well-rested’ lot today.

Botswana President Eric Keabetswe Masisi declared Friday, August 9 a half-working day, to celebrate the country’s first gold medal win at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Letsile Tebogo, 21, clinched gold in the men’s 200m, beating American rivals Kenneth Bednarek and Noah Lyles.

The historic win became Africa’s first in the 200m title and Botswana’s first gold medal at the Paris Olympics.

President Masisi in a statement said the decision was to recognise and honour Tebogo as the first Motswana and first African to win gold for 200m in the history of the Olympics.

“The president underscores, and acknowledges Tebogo’s performance and achievement as markedly outstanding, and deserving of the nation to pause and celebrate him, most uniquely and responsibly,” said Masisi.

The Batswana athlete dedicated the gold medal to his mother who died in May this year after a short illness.