Thousands of ecstatic fans packed the National Stadium in Botswana’s capital Gaborone on Tuesday to welcome home the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medallist, sprinter Letsile Tebogo.
The 21-year-old athlete made history earlier this month, becoming the first African to win the men’s 200m event at the Olympic Games in Paris.
Tebogo’s stunning performance, which saw him set an African record time of 19.46 seconds, has ignited a nationwide celebration of pride and achievement.
As the Olympic team touched down at Sir Seretse Khama International Airport, rapturous supporters waved the blue-and-black national flag, eager to catch the first glimpse of their heroic sprinter.
President Mokgweetsi Masisi joined traditional dancers on the tarmac.
From the airport, the athletes were transported to the National Stadium where an even larger crowd awaited their arrival.
Tebogo and his teammates paraded around the stadium on a rooftop bus, waving to the adoring fans who had been granted a half-day holiday by the president to celebrate the historic occasion.
In addition to Tebogo’s gold medal in the 200m, the Botswana team also secured a silver in the men’s 4x400m relay, bringing the country’s total Olympic medal tally to four – a significant achievement for the landlocked southern African nation.
JN/APA