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Botswana has declared a public holiday to honor its men’s 4×400-meter relay team, who stunned the world by clinching gold at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. The victory marks a milestone not only for Botswana but for the continent, as the southern African nation became the first African country to ever win the event.
President Duma Boko, speaking from New York where he is attending the UN General Assembly, announced that Monday, September 29 would be observed as a holiday, just one day before Botswana’s independence anniversary. He hailed the win as a “historic African achievement” and praised the athletes for elevating the nation’s global profile.
“I’ll be sure to tell the world that Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just in the ground, they are our World Champion athletes,” President Boko declared, describing the team’s victory as “electric” and emblematic of Botswana’s growing influence on the world stage.
The relay team, Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, delivered a breathtaking performance on Sunday, edging out the United States, who had dominated the event for a decade with 10 consecutive world titles. Despite challenging weather conditions, Botswana surged to victory, with South Africa securing the bronze medal.
Botswana’s triumph added to its most successful medal tally in World Championships history. The nation finished fifth overall in the medal standings, collecting two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze, its best performance to date. Only the United States, Kenya, the Netherlands, and Canada ranked higher.
This latest victory follows another landmark achievement last year, when Letsile Tebogo won Botswana’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men’s 200 meters at the Paris Games. Tebogo’s win was also the first Olympic 200m title for an African athlete, sparking nationwide celebrations.
At the time, then-President Mokgweetsi Masisi declared a half-day public holiday to honor Tebogo, describing the occasion as “a most unique celebration, etched forever in the history of the Republic.” Tens of thousands gathered at the National Stadium in Gaborone to welcome the champion home.
Botswana’s latest success cements its reputation as a rising athletics powerhouse and a source of continental pride. For many citizens, the declared holiday is more than just a celebration of sport, it is a recognition of resilience, national unity, and the country’s growing impact on the global sporting stage.
Credit: BBC Africa