Tebogo Letsile becomes the first African athelete to bag Gold in the 200m men’s sprint at the Paris Olympics, Botswana declares a holiday in his honour. Image: (ANTONIN THUILLIER / AFP)
(The Post News)- Botswana’s President Mokgweetsi Masisi has declared Friday, August 9, a public holiday to honor the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist, Tebogo Letsile. The 21-year-old athlete secured the gold in the men’s 200m sprint at the 2024 Olympics with a remarkable time of 19.46 seconds, making him the first African athlete to win gold in this event.
President Masisi, in a press statement, praised Letsile as a “Botswana sensation” and expressed that the public holiday was a fitting tribute to the athlete’s extraordinary achievement.
In an interview with Euro Sports Live, Letsile dedicated his victory to his late mother, who passed away in May, and to his little sister, who supported him from the stands. “This means a lot to my late mom; she dreamed of seeing this moment. My little sister is here somewhere in the stands, representing my mom. I believe she’s happy,” said Letsile.
Letsile’s gold-winning performance was followed by Kenneth Bednarek of the USA, who claimed silver with a time of 19.62 seconds, and USA, Noah Lyles, who took bronze with a time of 19.70 seconds.
In the semifinals, Letsile delivered an outstanding performance, finishing first with a time of 19.96 seconds, just ahead of Lyles.
The newly crowned 200m champion expressed his gratitude to his team, crediting them for their unwavering support through thick and thin.
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