The people of Botswana are getting a bonus national holiday on September 29—the day before Independence Day—to celebrate their men’s 4x400m relay team’s incredible gold medal win at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo. 

This victory was a major upset, as the team beat the powerful United States to become the first African nation ever to win the event. 

President Duma Boko made the announcement from the UN General Assembly, emphasizing that this historic win shows the world that Botswana’s true wealth lies not just in its diamonds but also in its world-class athletes, who are a powerful source of national pride and inspiration.

The national celebration will occur on Monday, September 29, strategically taking place the day before Botswana Day (Independence Day) on September 30. 

The declaration effectively extends the national holiday weekend, allowing citizens to fully bask in the glow of the athletic triumph.

The victory itself was a thrilling, rain-soaked upset in Tokyo on September 21. 

The quartet—Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori, and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi—clocked a national record of 2:57.76, edging out the perennial favorites, the United States, by a mere 0.07 seconds. 

The U.S. had claimed gold in 10 of the previous 11 World Championship editions, making Botswana’s win a profound statement on the global track stage.

President Boko, who announced the holiday from New York while attending the UN General Assembly, personally telephoned the team to offer his congratulations. 

The president’s words encapsulated the national sentiment, drawing a powerful connection between the nation’s economic identity and its newfound athletic stature:

“I’ll be sure to tell everyone, Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just in the ground; they are our world champion athletes,” President Boko stated, describing the moment as “electric.”

This is not the first time the country has paused to honor its sprinting heroes. 

The celebration echoes the national frenzy following Letsile Tebogo’s gold medal in the men’s 200m at the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

Tebogo’s win, which made him the first African to ever win that Olympic event, was honored with a half-day public holiday, with tens of thousands of citizens packing the National Stadium in Gaborone for a hero’s welcome.

This recurring high-level recognition underscores the strategic priority Botswana places on sports development. 

The success is a product of long-term investment through initiatives like the Botswana National Sport Commission’s Vision 2028 and the BAA’s grassroots talent-nurturing program, ‘Re Ba Bona Ha’ (meaning ‘We see them here’).

By declaring a full public holiday, the government is not just rewarding the athletes for their two gold medals—including Kebinatshipi’s individual 400 m title—but is also making a bold statement: athletic excellence is a crucial component of the country’s national identity and a powerful tool to inspire future generations.