Batswanas get day-off to celebrate country's first gold medal

Letsile Tebogo of Botswana reacts after winning the men's athletics 200m final of the Paris Olympics at the Stade de France in Saint-Denis, France on August 8, 2024. [AFP]

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

Botswana President Eric Keabetswe Masisi has 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 200 metres, 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 said the decision was to recognise and honour Tebogo as the first Motswana and 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.