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Tens of thousands gathered at a stadium in Botswana to celebrate sprinter Letsile Tebogo’s historic Olympic gold medal. Enthusiastic supporters waved Botswana’s blue-and-black national flag as the Olympic team arrived in Gaborone on Tuesday.
The athletes paraded through the National Stadium on a rooftop bus, waving to fans who enjoyed a half-day holiday declared by the president in honor of Tebogo’s achievement. The 21-year-old made history by becoming the first African to win the men’s 200m, outrunning Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles in Paris on August 8th.
Tebogo set an African record with a time of 19.46 seconds and, along with his teammates, earned a silver in the men’s 4x400m relay, bringing Botswana’s total Olympic medal count to four.
Before the stadium celebration, hundreds of supporters gathered at Gaborone’s airport to greet the Olympic team. Traditional dancers in animal skins and beads kicked off the festivities as the athletes appeared. President Mokgweetsi Masisi joined in, dancing on the tarmac while an aide shielded him from the sun with an umbrella.
From the airport, the athletes were transported to the national stadium, where an even larger crowd awaited them. After his 200m victory, Tebogo dedicated his gold medal to his late mother, Seratiwa, who passed away in May. He held up his spikes, displaying her date of birth, and said, “It’s basically me carrying her through every stride that I take on the field. To take her with me gives me a lot of motivation. She’s watching up there, and she’s really, really happy.”
