Botswana has declared a public holiday to celebrate the country's victory in the men's 4x400 metres at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, the first African nation to win the event.
President Duma Boko praised the gold medal as a historic African win during an online address commending the team's performance. The holiday will be observed on Monday, September 29, a day before Botswana's independence day.
In a rain-drenched race on Sunday, Botswana's team comprised Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, who triumphed over the US team, who had previously won the last ten world titles. South Africa secured third place.
While speaking from New York at the UN General Assembly, President Boko emphasized Botswana's athletes as the nation’s treasures, stating, I'll be sure to tell everyone, Botswana's natural diamonds are not just in the ground, they are our World Champion athletes. He described the electric atmosphere during the victory and noted that it reflects Botswana's rising stature on the global stage.
In the overall championship standings, Botswana finished fifth, their best-ever performance, with two golds, one silver, and a bronze medal. This builds on last year's achievement when Tebogo earned Botswana's first Olympic gold medal in the men's 200m event in Paris, a moment that sparked nationwide celebrations.
On that occasion, the government had declared a half-day holiday to allow citizens to celebrate, marking a moment described by then-President Mokgweetsi Masisi as a most unique… manner that will be etched in the annals of the history of the Republic.
