Botswana Declares Public Holiday After ‘Historic’ Athletics Gold Medal

Nation celebrates first-ever African victory in men’s 4x400m relay at World Athletics Championships.

Botswana has etched its name in athletics history after becoming the first African nation to win the men’s 4x400m relay at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The victory sparked nationwide celebrations and international praise.

President Declares Holiday

President Duma Boko, speaking from New York during the UN General Assembly, hailed the gold medal as a “historic African win.” He declared Monday, 29 September a public holiday — just a day before the country’s independence celebrations.

“I’ll be sure to tell everyone, Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just in the ground, they are our World Champion athletes,” the president said.

The Winning Team

The quartet of Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi stunned the athletics world by edging out the United States  winners of the last 10 world titles in a rain-soaked race. South Africa secured bronze.

Botswana’s Best Championship Yet

The southern African nation achieved its best-ever finish at the championships, placing fifth overall in the medal table with two golds, one silver, and a bronze.

This builds on last year’s milestone when Letsile Tebogo became Botswana’s first Olympic champion by winning gold in the men’s 200m in Paris — also the first African to achieve the feat. His homecoming drew tens of thousands to Gaborone’s National Stadium, where the government declared a half-day holiday in his honour.

Rising Global Stature

President Boko described the Tokyo victory as “electric”, saying the athletes’ performance signaled Botswana’s rising stature on the world stage.

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