Team Botswana won 4x400m relay gold in Tokyo. Photo: Imago

Botswana residents have been given a public holiday after the country’s athletes won two gold medals at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

Botswana has declared a public holiday to celebrate its heroes after the country won the 4x400m relay gold medal at the 2025 World Athletics Championships on Sunday.

Team Botswana made history when they became the first African nation to win the 4x400m relay gold, having edged out the United States of America, who finished second, with South African in third place, as they stormed to victory in 2:57.76.

The team had Lee Bhekempilo Eppie, Letsile Tebogo, Bayapo Ndori and Busang Collen Kebinatshipi with the latter anchoring the team to gold at a rain-soaked National Stadium in Tokyo on Sunday.

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“I’ll be sure to tell everyone, Botswana’s natural diamonds are not just in the ground, they are our World Champion athletes,” Botswana President Duma Boko said, speaking from New York where he is attending the UN General Assembly as quoted by BBC.

President Boko announced that September 29 will be the day of the holiday to celebrate the “historic African win” which is a day before the country’s Independence Day.

Botswana had a great outing at the World Championships, winning two gold medals, with Kebinatshipi claiming the 400m title, after a scorching run in what was the most successful event in their history.

It follows on from the historic Paris Olympics when Tebogo won a gold medal in 200m, Botswana’s first-ever, and a first for Africa over the distance, before he anchored them to the 4x400m relay silver.

It also witnessed celebrations across the country with over 30,000 people turning up at the National Stadium in Gaborone to welcome the team while there was a public holiday for half a day.

Botswana will host the 2026 World Relays Championships when they hope to assert their authority on home soil.