Letsile Tebogo beat US sprinters Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles in the 200-meter sprint in Paris on Thursday, running the fifth fastest time in history over this distance in 19.46 seconds.
The President of Botswana has declared Friday afternoon a public holiday to celebrate the country’s win of its first Olympic gold medal.
“President Masisi wishes to state that on behalf of all citizens, he applauds Letsile and unceasingly thanks his late mother,” President Mokgweetsi Masisi wrote in a statement published on X.
Masisi also said Letsile’s achievement deserves that the nation pause and celebrate him in a unique, appropriate and responsible manner that will go down in the annals of the Republic’s history.
After the competition, Lyles was taken out of the arena in a wheelchair because he was no longer able to leave on his own.
As the US association announced shortly after the race, the sprinter from Florida had tested positive for the corona virus. On top of that, a yellow card appeared against him in the official results because he had apparently damaged his starting box.
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Before the race, Lyles had once again attracted attention with some exaggerated gestures. Tebogo then let himself be carried away and made a verbal dig at the American.
“I can’t be the face of athletics because I’m not an arrogant or loud person like Noah,” Tebogo said at the press conference.
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