Letsile Tebogo Returns Home with Gold Medal

Letsile Tebogo was celebrated in Botswana after winning the country's first-ever Olympic gold medal in the men's 200m at the 2024 Paris Games, where he set an African record time of 19.46 seconds. Tens of thousands of supporters gathered in Gaborone's National Stadium, waving flags and marking the occasion with a public holiday declared by President Mokgweetsi Masisi. Tebogo's victory not only outpaced American rivals Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles but also contributed to Botswana's total Olympic medal tally reaching four, with a silver in the men's 4x400m relay. The athlete dedicated his gold medal to his late mother, Seratiwa, expressing that he carries her memory with him on the track. Traditional dancers welcomed the Olympic team at the airport, and Masisi joined in the celebrations by dancing on the tarmac. Tebogo's achievement highlights Africa's growing presence in sprinting events, adding to the continent's overall medal count at the Olympics.