Double Olympic medallist Letsile Tebogo and his Botswana teammates returned home this week to the ecstatic cheers of fans who turned out in thousands to welcome their heroes from the Paris 2024 games.
Many probably do not know that Tebogo trains in Potchefstroom and that he spent three months in a North West state-of-the-art facility to prepare for the Olympics.
Botswana won two medals, Tebogo’s gold in the 200m and the silver medal in the men’s 4x400m relay. Anthony Pesela, Collen Kebinatshipi and Bayapo Ndori were Tebogo’s relay teammates who have entrenched Africa as a stronghold in world sprinting.
But just like the bungling South African government and sports administrators, the Botswana government in a way kind of like shot themselves in the foot when they asked the citizens of the small country to contribute for the bonuses and rewards promised to their star athlete, who took the world by storm in the recently concluded Olympic Games in Paris.
This was met with huge criticism from the taxpayers, who wanted answers as to what happens to their tax money if it’s not used for such occasions.
According to the African Mirror, President Mokgweetsi Masisi’s face was beaming with pride as he welcomed the Olympians home. As Tebogo approached, the president embraced him, symbolising the nation’s collective hug for their champion.
“Today,” the president’s voice boomed across the stadium, “we celebrate not just a victory in sport, but a victory for Botswana. Letsile Tebogo has shown the world the spirit of our nation!”
The crowd erupted and cheered as the president announced Tebogo’s rewards. A herd of prized cattle, a symbol of wealth and respect in Botswana, would be gifted to the young athlete. Additionally, millions in cash and prizes were bestowed upon him, a testament to the
nation’s gratitude.
More than 30 000 fans packed the National Stadium to celebrate Tebogo, their country’s first Olympic gold medallist.
The 21-year-old became the first African to win the men’s 200m at the Olympic Games, doing so in a continental record of 19:46 seconds, ahead of the US’s Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles.
The sprinter dedicated his -triumph to his mother Elizabeth Seratiwa, who passed away last May. He showed his spikes, displaying her date of birth, to the cameras, and had her initials painted on his fingernails.
“I believe she [would have been] one of the happiest people on the planet,” said an emotional Tebogo. “She believed in me, and I had so much doubt [about] myself.”
LOL. Africa.