Botswana welcomes Tebogo home with stadium spectacular

Tens of thousands of people packed a stadium in Botswana to welcome home sprinter Letsile Tebogo, who claimed the country’s first-ever Olympic gold medal.

Cheerful supporters waved the country’s blue and black national flag as the Olympic team landed in the capital, Gaborone, on Tuesday.

The athletes paraded through the National Stadium on a rooftop bus, waving to fans who were enjoying a half-day holiday declared by the president to celebrate Tebogo’s success.

The 21-year-old became the first African to win the men’s 200m when he beat Americans Kenny Bednarek and Noah Lyles in Paris on August 8.

He set an African record time of 19.46 seconds and, together with his teammates, won a silver in the men’s 4x400m relay, increasing Botswana’s Olympic medal total to four.

Ahead of Tuesday’s celebration at the stadium, hundreds of fans from the southern African country gathered at Gaborone airport to catch their first glimpse of their Olympic team.

Traditional dancers dressed in animal skins and beads were there to get the party started as the athletes appeared.

President Mokgweetsi Masisi showed off some of his own moves, dancing on the dance floor while an aide held an umbrella to shield him from the sun.

From the airport, the athletes were transported to greet a much larger crowd at the national stadium.

After winning the 200m, Tebogo dedicated his gold medal to his mother Seratiwa, who passed away in May after a short illness, and held up his sneakers, displaying his date of birth, to the camera after his victory.

“I’m basically the one who carries it with me every step I take on the field,” Tebogo said.

“Taking her with me gives me a lot of motivation. She’s up there looking at me and she’s very, very happy.”

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