President Duma Boko Declares a National Holiday for Botswana. Image: Danai Nesta Kupemba/AFP.
(The Post News)- In recognition of Botswana’s historic gold medal in the men’s 4×400-meter relay at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, Japan, President Duma Boko formally proclaimed September 29 a national public holiday in the nation he represents.
The president’s dedication to honoring athletic achievement and bringing the country together around its greatest athletes is an occasion of great national pride.
With a magnificent performance, Botswana’s quartet, Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, narrowly defeated the United States to win gold. President Boko called the triumph “nothing short of legendary,” since it made Botswana the first African country that had ever won the men’s 4×400-meter relay at the World Championship.
President Boko thanked the athletes who were competing with much enthusiasm and pride in his country while speaking via video conference from New York, during which he was participating in the 80th United Nations General Assembly. “Congratulations, my boys!” he exclaimed, grinning broadly. “Thank you. You have the pride of the entire country. We adore you, and everybody back home is overjoyed.
He continued by praising their tenacity, self-control, and solidarity, describing them as brilliant models of what young people in Botswana can accomplish given perseverance and direction. “You’ve given the country cause for celebration. You have flown the flag of our nation to the world’s highest pinnacle. We are incredibly proud.
Botswana to Celebrate the Team on Sept 29
Just before Botswana’s Independence Day on September 30, he said the recently announced public holiday on September 29 would be a national day of celebration, establishing a figurative two-day window to commemorate the nation’s history and its promising future. The president’s happiness was reflected in the public’s response.
The four sportsmen were celebrated with impromptu celebrations, displaying flags, and communal get-togethers in Gaborone alongside other cities. In addition to inspiring the president to declare a half-day holiday in honor of the achievement, the scenes brought back memories of the national ecstasy that accompanied Letsile Tebogo’s victories in the men’s 200-meter event at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
On this occasion, President Boko not just paid tribute to the players but also reaffirmed an expression of appreciation, motivation, and solidarity for the country by announcing a full national holiday.
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