Botswana honours sprint sensation Letsile Tebogo with a new home, celebrating his historic Olympic achievement and reaffirming national commitment to athlete recognition
GAZETTE REPORTER
Botswana on Tuesday celebrated Olympic hero Letsile Tebogo with the handover of a newly built three-bedroom house with a free-standing garage, in recognition of his remarkable performance at the Paris Olympic Games. The gesture reflects the country’s continued commitment to honouring athletes who raise the national flag on the international stage.
Tebogo made history by becoming the first African to win a medal in the men’s 200m at the Olympics, placing Botswana firmly on the global athletics map.
“A big thank you to the government and everyone who has been part of this project… I’m happy that it has been delivered,” said Tebogo. “I have been sent by my colleagues that you guys should prepare more houses for LA 2028.”
Government Keeps Promise
Botswana National Olympic Committee (BNOC) President Tshepo Sitale hailed the move as a powerful statement of support to athletes.
“We are happy that the government kept its promise of building this house,” said Sitale. “On behalf of the Olympic movement we are really graceful of this.”
He added that the Olympic movement remains committed to ensuring athletes continue to be celebrated for their achievements, describing Tebogo’s recognition as both symbolic and inspiring.
Inspiring Future Champions
Minister of Sport and Arts Jacob Kelebeng said the gesture was part of a long-standing government tradition of rewarding sporting excellence.
“When we took over we found the existing government giving houses to those who did well at Olympics and we did not stop that, we kept on with that,” said Kelebeng. “It must be noted that he worked hard and fought for this country – put the country out there on the map. It encourages the kids to, up coming to utilize their talents.”
The minister added that the house was built in close consultation with Tebogo to meet his preferences, reflecting a collaborative effort between the government and the athlete.