The President of Botswana, Mokgweetsi Masisi proclaimed Friday afternoon a national holiday in honor of Letsile Tebogo, who won the 200-meter sprint gold medal in Paris on Thursday, the nation’s first Olympic gold medal.
Tebogo defeated American sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles to win the first 200-meter championship in Africa and rank fifth all-time in the history of the event.
In remembrance of his mother, who passed away in May, the 21-year-old raced wearing spikes with his mother’s birthdate on them, claiming to have carried her with him.
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“His Excellency President Masisi wishes to state that, on behalf of all of the citizenry, he applauds Letsile and gives thanks unceasingly to his late mother,” President Mokgweetsi Masisi wrote in a statement posted on X.
Masisi described Letsile’s accomplishment as “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”.
Masisi had tweeted on Thursday that, after cheering Tebogo on and seeing him win in 19.46 seconds, his voice was “completely gone”.
