30,000 people welcome, the whole country has a day off

According to AFP, more than 30,000 people gathered at the airport in the capital Gaborone, dressed in the blue, white, and black colors of the Botswana flag, to welcome the athletes returning from France. President Mokgweetsi Masisi also personally went to the airport and openly expressed his overwhelming joy with a dance on the runway. Earlier, he announced that the entire nation would have August 13th off work to join in the celebratory atmosphere.

Botswana welcomes back its exceptional athletes from France.

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, Botswana won two medals (one gold and one silver). Notably, both medals were in athletics . This is Botswana's best performance since the 1980 Olympics.

Runner Letsile Tebogo was hailed as a champion in Botswana. He beat formidable American rivals like Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles to win the gold medal in the 200m with a time of 19.46 seconds. Letsile Tebogo also became the second African athlete to win an Olympic medal in the men's 200m, after Namibian Frankie Fredericks won the silver medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics.

But that wasn't all; Letsile Tebogo and his teammates also performed excellently in the 4x400m relay. The Botswana team finished with a time of 2 minutes 54.53 seconds, winning the silver medal. Botswana set a new African record in this event, and was only 0.001 seconds behind the gold medalist, the USA.

Letsile Tebogo is the first Botswanan athlete to win a gold medal at the Olympics.

Botswana's athletics team's success has raised Africa's total medal count at the 2024 Paris Olympics to 39, two more than at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Letsile Tebogo, in particular, has become Botswana's most accomplished track and field athlete. Besides his two prestigious medals, the 21-year-old holds the national 100m record with a time of 9.86 seconds, won two world medals (silver in the 100m and bronze in the 200m) at the 2023 Budapest Olympics, and four medals at the 2023 U-20 World Championships.

According to the Botswana Ministry of Sports, the government will award Letsile Tebogo two houses for his achievement at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

The secret to making a difference.

While the world's top runners focus on high-quality, carefully designed diets, Letsile Tebogo's choice is quite the opposite. In an interview with AFP on August 14, Letsile Tebogo stated that he always respects and uses food from his native Botswana.

Letsile Tebogo's mother, Seratiwa Tebogo, played a crucial role in shaping his eating habits. Before her sudden death in May 2024, Seratiwa revealed that her son loved snacks. Therefore, she used mabele – a traditional Botswana sorghum porridge – for him. The main ingredient in mabele is a nutrient-rich grain that provides sustained energy, making it an important element for sprinters like Letsile Tebogo.

Letsile Tebogo was moved to tears as he remembered his mother after winning the Olympic gold medal.

After winning in Paris, Letsile Tebogo also showed his affection for his late mother. He draped himself in the Botswana flag, took off his ring, and held it up to the camera to mark his mother's birthday.

Letsile Tebogo said emotionally, "When I was little, my mother carried me. When I took my first steps, she guided me. I know she's always been there, watching over this journey. I want to remember her birthday instead of the day she died. Because after all, I want her to be happy."

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/botswana-ton-vinh-hcv-dau-tien-tai-olympic-30000-nguoi-chao-don-ca-nuoc-nghi-1-ngay-185240814151033026.htm