Olympic gold: Letsile Tebogo returns to rousing welcome in Botswana
Letsile Tebogo was greeted with joy on Tuesday upon her return to Botswana, the home of the southern African nation's first-ever Olympic gold medal.
As the Botswana Olympic team returned to the country's capital, Gaborone, families with little children, the elderly, and youthful fans raised the country's sky blue and black national banner.
Hundreds of supporters had flocked to the little airport to celebrate Tebogo's victory, taking advantage of an unplanned half-day holiday announced by President Mokgweetsi Masisi.
Masisi danced on the tarmac while an assistant placed an umbrella over him to protect him from the sun before saying hello to the athletes.
Tebogo, 21, defeated Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles to become the first African to win the men's 200-meter race in Paris on August 8, with a timing that set an African record of 19.46 seconds.
His gold and silver in the men's 4x400-meter relay increased the nation's overall number of Olympic medals to four.
The welcoming ritual outside the airport was initiated by traditional dancers dressed in animal skins and beads; the celebration would later take place at the national stadium.
On August 9, Masisi had already given the 2.3 million citizens of the nation a half-day off to celebrate.
Tebogo is the only athlete from Africa to win an Olympic medal in the men's 200-meter event; the other was Frankie Fredericks of Namibia, who won silver in Atlanta in 1996.
When Nijel Amos won silver in the 800 meters at the 2012 London Games, Botswana gained its first Olympic medal. In Tokyo 2020, the men's 4x400-meter relay team won bronze.
His two golds in the men's 4x400m relay increased the nation's total medal count at the Olympics to four.
A greeting ritual that was to take place later at the national stadium was started outside the airport by traditional dancers dressed in animal skins and jewellery.
On August 9, Masisi gave the 2.3 million people in the nation a half-day off so they could celebrate.
After Namibian Frankie Fredericks won silver in the men's 200-meter race in Atlanta in 1996, Tebogo is the only other athlete from Africa to earn an Olympic medal.
Nijel Amos' silver in the 800 meters marked Botswana's first Olympic medal at the 2012 London Games. Its men's 4x400-meter relay team won bronze in 2020 Tokyo.
With Kenya winning 11 medals in the French metropolis, Botswana's performance at the Olympics helped increase Africa's total to 39, two more than at the Tokyo Games.
Africa has been a contender in shorter events in addition to its domination at longer distances, as seen by the half of the men's 200m lineup that featured Tebogo's excellent performance.
