Botswana’s President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, has declared a public holiday to celebrate the remarkable achievement of Letsile Tebogo, who secured the Olympic 200m title at the Paris 2024 Games.
The 21-year-old sprinting sensation shocked the athletics world by defeating pre-race favorite Noah Lyles, setting a new African Record with a time of 19.46 seconds.
Tebogo’s victory marks a historic moment, as he became the first African man to win an Olympic 200m title and secured the first gold medal for Botswana in the history of the Games.
In recognition of Tebogo’s extraordinary feat, President Masisi announced in a statement on Friday that the nation would observe an afternoon day-off on August 9, 2024, in honor of “Botswana’s Sensation.”
The statement reads, “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 of August, 2024.”
President Masisi emphasized that Tebogo’s victory deserves to be enshrined in Botswana’s history, acknowledging his performance as “markedly outstanding” and worthy of national celebration in a unique and responsible manner.
The public holiday stands as a testament to the pride and admiration that Botswana holds for Tebogo, who has made history for both his country and the African continent.
