Botswana declared a half-day public holiday on Friday to celebrate its first-ever Olympic gold medal, following athlete Letsile Tebogo's victory in the men's 200m sprint final at the ongoing 2024 Paris Olympics.
Botswanan President Mokgweetsi Masisi announced to the nation that he has found it a fitting tribute to Letsile Tebogo, "Botswana's Sensation, to grant Batswana and residents an afternoon off on this very day," Permanent Secretary to the President Emmah Peloetletse said in a statement released Friday.
The decision was made to recognize and honour Tebogo, who has become the first African to win a gold medal in the 200m event in Olympic history.
The statement described Tebogo'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 country."
" The 21-year-old athlete secured Botswana's first gold medal of the Paris Olympics by completing the 200m sprint in 19.46 seconds on Thursday.
This marks Botswana's first Olympic gold medal, following its first-ever Olympic medal in 2012 when Nigel Amos won silver in the 800m, and the men's 4x400 relay squad won bronze at the Tokyo 2020 Games.