Botswana Declares Public Holiday After Historic 4x400m Relay Win Over USA

Botswana has declared a public holiday on September 29 to celebrate its men's 4x400m relay team's historic gold medal win at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo, marking the first time an African team has won the event. The victory, achieved in challenging rainy conditions, saw Botswana narrowly defeat the United States, who had won the last ten world titles, with South Africa finishing third. President Duma Gideon Boko praised the athletes, comparing them to Botswana's famed natural diamonds and highlighting the country's growing stature on the global stage. This achievement adds to Botswana's recent sporting successes, including Letsile Tebogo's historic 200m Olympic gold in 2024, which was celebrated with a national half-day holiday. Botswana finished fifth overall in the medal standings at the championships, their best-ever performance, securing two golds, one silver, and one bronze. The public holiday precedes the country's independence day, underscoring the national pride and significance of these athletic accomplishments.