Botswana President Mokgweetsi Masisi has granted all Batswana and residents a public holiday this Friday, August 9th, to recognize and celebrate Letsile Tebogo as the first Motswana and first African to win a gold medal in the 200m event at the Olympics.
The 21-year-old Tebogo stormed to victory in the 200m final at the Paris 2024 Olympics on Thursday night, setting an African record time of 19.46 seconds and finishing ahead of American Kenneth Bednarek (19.62).
Despite lining up with a personal best of 19.50, Tebogo, who placed 6th in the 100m final, exceeded expectations to claim the historic gold medal.
In a statement issued on Friday, Emmah A. Peloetletse, the Permanent Secretary to the President of Botswana, declared that Tebogo’s extraordinary performance and achievement deserve a nationwide pause to commemorate this landmark moment for the nation. Reads the statement:
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.
Accordingly, 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.
A pula e lo nele ka masubelele, Batswana!
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