Botswana's first Olympic gold medallist: "I thought it was the end of the world"
Botswana's first Olympic gold medallist: "I thought it was the end of the world"
Blog Article
When Letile Tebogo (21, Botswana) won the gold medal in the men's 200m at the 2024 Paris Olympics, the Botswana government designated August 8, the day Tebogo won, as a 'national holiday.'
Additionally, the Botswana government gifted Tebogo two houses.
"I plan to continue living in the place where I live with my mother," Tebogo said in an interview with the World Athletics Federation on the 19th (Korean time), adding, "I plan to rent two houses."
On August 8th and 9th (local time), Tebogo won the men's 200m final at the 2024 Paris Olympics at the Stade de France in Paris, France, setting a new African record of 19.46 seconds, giving Botswana its first ever Olympic gold medal.
On the day Tebogo returned to Botswana, the Botswana government held a grand welcoming ceremony.
"There were 80,000 people gathered in the stadium and on the streets," he said. "It was a day when I realized that my life had changed. I hope that my gold medal will give hope to the African continent."
Behind the shining gold medal, there is also a sad story.
Tebogo, whose mother passed away in May this year, won her first Olympic gold medal wearing spikes engraved with her mother's initials, Serrattiwa.
Tebogo's mother passed away at the young age of 44.
"After my mother died, I thought the world was ending," Tebogo confessed.
They even stopped training with just two months left until the 한국을 Olympics opened.
However, with encouragement from those around him, Tebogo stood on the track again.
"My coaches and friends kept dragging me to the track. They encouraged me, saying, 'You don't have to run, just come to the training ground and watch us run. You don't have to push yourself,'" he recalled. "By the time I was in Paris, with a gold medal around my neck."
Tebogo is staying with his older sister in the house where he lived with his mother.
My aunt and uncle who live in the same neighborhood often visit Tebogo.
Some animals welcome the news.
Tebogo's 'second job' is livestock farming.
"I raised 10 cows and goats, and the government gave me 30 more. They will have calves, so I will have more cows and goats to look after," he said.
Caring for the farm also helps mentally.
"I feel free when I come to the countryside," Tebogo said. "When I take care of livestock, I can take a break from the stress of being on the land."
Of course, there are more eyes on Tebogo at the stadium.
Some fans expect that Tebogo, in his early 20s, will one day break the 200m world record (19.19 seconds) held by Usain Bolt (Jamaica).
"I don't want to put pressure on myself," Tebogo said, adding, "I'm about 10 metres away from the world record right now. When I'm 24, I might be able to challenge for the world record."