Mitchell Dzoro
Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi has declared today as a public holiday for all Batswana residents and citizens following Letsile Tebogo’s win of Botswana’s first ever Olympic gold.
Tebogo, 21, set a new African record of 19.46 seconds yesterday as the first Motswana and first African to scoop a gold medal in the 200m event at the Paris 2024 Olympics.
In a statement issued on Friday, the Permanent Secretary to the President of Botswana, Emmah A.
Peloetletse declared that Tebogo’s achievement deserve a nationwide commemoration. “His Excellency, Dr. Mokgweetsi Eric Keabetswe Masisi, President of the Republic of Botswana, hereby declares to the nation, that he has found it a fitting tribute to Mr. Letsile Tebogo, ‘Botswana’s Sensation’, to grant Batswana and residents an afternoon day-off, on this very day, Friday the 9th August, 2024.
“The decision has been duly made to recognise and honour Letsile Tebogo as the first Motswana and first African to win a Gold Medal for 200m in the history of the Olympics.
“Furthermore, the President underscores, recognises and acknowledges Letsile’s performance and achievement as markedly outstanding, and deserving of the nation to pause and celebrate him in a most unique, appropriate and responsible manner, that will be etched in the annals of the history of the Republic,” read the statement.
Following his victory, Tebogo displayed his spikes that were imprinted with the date of birth of his mother, who passed on in May this year after a short-illness.
He dedicated his Olympic gold to his mother. The 21-year-old was followed by Kenny Bednarek from USA at 19.62 second who scooped silver then Noah Lyles who scooped bronze at 19.70 seconds.