GABORONE, Botswana (BN24) — Botswana has declared Monday, September 29, a public holiday to celebrate its historic victory in the men’s 4×400-meter relay at the World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, marking the first time an African nation has ever won the event.
President Duma Boko announced in a televised address from New York, where he is attending the United Nations General Assembly, calling the victory a “historic African win” and a moment that cements Botswana’s rising global stature. The gold medal triumph came just one day before the country’s Independence Day and will now be commemorated with a full-day holiday nationwide.
“I’ll be sure to tell everyone—Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just in the ground, they are our World Champion athletes,” Boko said. “The moment was electric.”
Botswana’s relay team, comprising Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi, edged out the United States, the dominant force in the event with ten consecutive world titles, in a rain-soaked final. South Africa finished third in what many are calling one of the most memorable races of the championship.
The gold medal was part of Botswana’s record-breaking performance at the championships. The southern African nation finished fifth in the overall medal standings with two golds, one silver, and one bronze—its best-ever return, trailing only the United States, Kenya, the Netherlands, and Canada.
This latest success adds to Botswana’s growing reputation in global athletics. Just last year, sprinter Letsile Tebogo made history by winning the country’s first Olympic gold medal in the men’s 200 meters at the Paris 2024 Games. That victory also marked the first time an African athlete had claimed the title in the event, sparking a nationwide celebration.
Tebogo’s return to Botswana in 2024 drew tens of thousands to the National Stadium in Gaborone, and the government declared a half-day holiday to honor him. Then-President Mokgweetsi Masisi described the moment as a “most unique celebration… etched in the annals of the Republic.”
Now, under President Boko’s leadership, Botswana is once again celebrating athletic excellence with a nationwide gesture that underscores the significance of sport in national identity and pride.
“This is more than a medal,” Boko said. “It’s a message to the world that Botswana is here, running shoulder to shoulder with the best.”
