Botswana’s Letsile Tebogo made history on Thursday by winning the men’s 200 meters event, securing Africa’s first-ever sprint gold medal. Tebogo's victory was particularly notable as he outpaced the favorite, Noah Lyles, to claim the gold.
In recognition of this historic achievement, the president of Botswana declared Friday afternoon a half-day public holiday to honor Tebogo's remarkable feat.
Following his win, Tebogo paid a heartfelt tribute to his late mother, who passed away in May. He honored her memory by displaying her birthday on the side of his spikes during the race.
Expressing the significance of this gesture, Tebogo shared, 'It meant a lot for me because I knew that I had to carry her with me since she’s been my backbone from day one. When she passed away, I thought it was the end of my career. But with the support of my team, I rediscovered my passion for the sport.'
Tebogo's impressive time of 19.46 seconds secured his victory ahead of American athletes Kenny Bednarek and Lyles. Lyles later revealed that he had competed in the race after testing positive for Covid-19.
The news of Tebogo's triumph will undoubtedly spark celebrations in Botswana, with the athlete expressing his joy at the public holiday declared in his honor. He remarked, 'When I heard about the public holiday, I was thrilled because everyone celebrated late into the night. I knew they needed a day to rejuvenate before returning to work.'
